RFUANZ report: want your share in NZ's next biggest industry?

More often than not it is the invisible components of a machine that are the most valuable. Reliably humming away in the background — out of sight, out of mind. This is not to say that the telecommunications industry is out of sight per se, but when it comes to career opportunities it is most certainly out of mind. For a career that has been proven time and time again to be an essential part of contemporary life, why are so many people overlooking it?

The Radio Frequency Users Association of New Zealand (RFUANZ) has identified for some years that the telecommunications industry is rapidly moving towards a crisis in the availability of skilled radio technicians. A lack of any formal training pathway for new or current staff in the industry, and the high percentage of existing technicians and engineers approaching retirement age, is likely to cause a severe shortage in the next few years.

Focused on preserving the radio industry for generations, RFUANZ has been supporting industry training provider E-tec in the development of a Level 4 NZQA qualification suitable for training radio technicians. Our goal is a foundation course catered towards those entering the workforce or existing staff with no formal training who are wanting to gain a qualification. We understand that this one training solution won’t solve all the issues affecting our industry, but it is certainly a step in the right direction. We are confident that this course will become the new default qualification requirement for companies looking for staff, so why not be a step ahead and sign up today?

With the course ready and enrolments open as of October 2023, our challenge now is visibility and viability. It is time to show what it means to be a part of the radio industry; the opportunities, skills and experience you gain plus the lifestyle you can create. It is time to utilise this training opportunity and develop a recognised career pathway that can take a school leaver and over time turn them into a highly skilled radio engineer.

New Zealand Certificate in Customer Premises Systems (Level 4) Wireless Systems Strand — course overview:

• How to install, maintain and repair cabling, electronic communication equipment and devices for wireless systems.
• How to install, maintain, diagnose and repair wireless networking, wireless telemetry and control applications, such as GPS, two-way radio communications, satellite communications and broadcasting communications systems.
• How to install and maintain radio wireless systems, such as broadcasting systems, two-way radio systems, cellular communication systems, RFID systems and telemetry monitoring systems.
• How to interpret electronic design systems.
• How to connect with telecommunication services.
• Knowledge of radio frequency legislation and standards.
• Technical knowledge of computer network engineering and networking infrastructure principles.
• How to identify and mitigate interference in wireless systems.

Justin Wonderlick, Chairman — ARE182, Radio Frequency Users Association of New Zealand.

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