We have worked closely with our Delivery Partners and their subcontractors to identify the high-skill shortage occupations within the industry needed to help build, operate and maintain the nbn™ network.
Below is a snapshot of the possible different roles included in the high-skill shortage occupations, and their associated skills and competencies. Since we have several Delivery Partners and subcontractors participating in the program, the actual roles and responsibilities they are seeking may differ to the below.
Telecommunications Linesworkers main tasks are outside working in teams to support the network lines that connect homes and businesses across Australia.
As a linesworker, the job environment can change daily from working up in the air or underground such as pit and pipe work installations, roping and cable hauling, installation of enclosures, conduits, and earthing systems, and rodding.
The main technologies that they are exposed to include copper, fibre or HFC. The job can be hands-on working on detailed and precise processes, as well as team focussed. They primarily work on basic cable installs, monitoring and replacements including lead-ins and terminations.
- Telecommunications Linesworker - Copper
A Telecommunications Linesworker – Copper, may perform basic cable monitoring and replacements including pit and pipe replacement, roping and cable hauling, rodding, and aerial work. They replace faulty/damaged cable and may also complete jumpering and basic connectivity.
- Telecommunications Linesworker - Fibre
A Telecommunications Linesworker – Fibre, may perform basic cable monitoring and replacements including pit and pipe replacement, rodding, roping and cable hauling and aerial work. They may also perform basic active equipment card replacements and fibre cleaning activities using optical scopes.
- Telecommunications Linesworker - HFC
A Telecommunications Linesworker – HFC, hauls and prepares cable, completes terminations and connects lead-in cabling They also perform basic radio frequency measurements, including commissioning, basic testing, locating and rectifying simple faults.
Occupations with Certificate III level training
A Telecommunications Cable Jointer performs jointing and rehabilitation of copper cables and joints, and identifying and repairing faults when needed. They are responsible for pillar upgrades including remediation, augmentation and compression/extension.
A Telecommunications Fibre Splicer handles, cleans, splices and terminates fibre telecommunications cables installed in underground pipes, trenches and overhead systems.
There are two types of Telecommunications Technicians, Fibre and HFC, whose primary job is to work on more advanced tasks including testing, diagnosis and resolutions of faults.
- Telecommunications Technician - Fibre
A Telecommunications Technician – Fibre, primarily completes active equipment card augmentation and replacements which involve fibre cleaning, splicing and termination of live fibre. They perform integration and commissioning in the access network and configure and test IP networks, while performing tests to diagnose and resolve advanced/complex faults.
- Telecommunications Technician - HFC
A Telecommunications Technician – HFC, primary activity is to tap up to the Optical Node, and also perform tasks from the tap down to the Premises Connection Device (PCD). They prepare, terminate and connect local distribution cabling and lead-in cabling. Other possible activities are radio frequency measurements, including commissioning, testing, locating and rectifying advanced/complex faults.
An HFC Customer Service Technician installs and activates from the last connection point of the network to the customer premises on Telstra designed networks. They can work from the tap down to the Network Termination Device (NTD).
Occupations with Certificate IV level training
A Telstra Designed HFC Network Technician works from the tap up to the Optical Node, identifying and repairing advanced/complex faults based on the Telstra designed technologies. They also help repair and maintain network power, commissioning and certifying the HFC network performance.