Career opportunities for graduates
Telecommunications Engineer: function in a professional context:
The 2nd cycle degree programme in Telecommunications Engineering creates professional figures able to fill technical and organisational roles in working contexts demanding knowledge of methodological and operative aspects of basic sciences and engineering, also in advanced design and research contexts, focusing on specific aspects of telecommunications without neglecting an overview of ICT.
Telecommunications Engineering graduates will know methods and techniques involved in designing devices, systems and network infrastructures related to acquisition, processing and transmission of information, as well as their use mainly in telecommunications applications and services, but also in other production and operative contexts. Telecommunications Engineering graduates are trained to work profitably within design, development, engineering, production, operation and maintenance of telecommunications systems, as well as similar areas, throughout Europe and the world. Learning activities will provide graduates with specific skills allowing them to work effectively in different professional areas, as systems analysts and/or designers in all fields of application where telecommunications technologies play an important role. The specific technical knowledge can easily be integrated with other competencies (managerial, economic, legal, etc.).
The programme outlines three typical profiles for telecommunications engineering:
- Devices and systems designer;
- Networks and services designer;
- Network management expert.
With two separate curricula and the possibility for students to customise their study plan with elective course units, the Degree Programme aims to train professional figures in these three categories. According to the specific professional profiles described above, the main functions of the TLC Engineer are described below.
- Fresh graduates are frequently employed in design of hardware architectures, firmware, middleware or software.
- System integrators integrate subsystems produced by designers for developing higher level functionalities.
- System managers observe complex systems in order to meet client technical demands .
- Project managers apply their technical skills in managing prototyping or production projects.
- Product managers oversee the entire process of new product development (design, production, launch to market and marketing).
- Chief Technology Officers (CTO) manage businesses or in-house research and development departments, adopting technical solutions for defining and implementing strategies.
professional profiles defined above are related with specific functions listed below.
TLC engineer - devices and systems designer:
- Designing hardware architecture, firmware, middleware or software;
- Coordinating and managing design of complex telecommunications systems;
- Interfacing with customer in order to define system specifications;
- Coordinating and managing professional teams involved in telecommunications systems design and production;
- Coordinating and managing all phases of new product development.
TLC engineer - networks and services designer:
- Designing hardware architecture, firmware, middleware or software;
- Sizing and configuring telecommunications networks;
- Coordinating and managing professional teams involved in telecommunications network equipment design and production;
- Coordinating and managing all phases of new network development.
TLC engineer - network management expert:
- Interfacing with customers in order to define system specifications;
- Coordinating and managing professional teams involved in telecommunications services design and production;
- Coordinating and managing all phases of new network development.
competencies associated to the function:
Each profile has particular core competencies required to perform the related functions.
TLC engineer - devices and systems designer:
- Specific knowledge of telecommunications systems (technologies, standards, etc.),
- Specific knowledge of low-level programming languages (c, embedded c, VHDL, etc.),
- Specific knowledge of analysis and simulation tools, such as MATLAB, etc.,
- Self-learning and lifelong learning competencies;
- Strong transversal communication and interpersonal skills;
- Organisational, managerial and programming skills;
- Strong inclination for inductive and experimental methods;
- Strong synthesis and analytical skills.
TLC engineer - networks and services designer:
- Specific knowledge of telecommunications systems (technologies, standards, etc.),
- Specific knowledge of high-level programming languages (Java, etc.),
- Specific knowledge of network analysis and simulation tools, such as NS3, etc.,
- Self-learning and lifelong learning competencies;
- Strong transversal communication and interpersonal skills;
- Organisational, managerial and programming skills;
- A good balance of inductive and deductive methods;
- Strong synthesis and analytical skills.
TLC engineer - network management expert:
- Specialist technical and engineering skills;
- Knowledge of design management techniques;
- Knowledge of regulatory aspects;
- Knowledge of logistics and infrastructure aspects;
- Self-learning and lifelong learning competencies;
- Strong transversal communication and interpersonal skills;
- Organisational, managerial and work planning skills;
- Strong analytical skills.
career opportunities:
The typical fields of employment of TLC Engineering graduates are related to:
- Innovation and production development;
- Advanced design;
- Planning and programming;
- Management of complex systems, both in a freelance capacity and in manufacturing and services companies, as well as in public administrations.
Graduates may seek employment in:
- Companies operating in design and production of components, devices, systems and infrastructures for acquisition and transmission of information and their use in remote applications;
- Manufacturing industries;
- Companies providing telecommunications and remote sensing services;
- All production and operational sectors applying technologies and infrastructures for signal transmission and use in civil, industrial and information technology fields;
- Land, sea and air traffic control bodies;
- Regulatory bodies;
- Public and private research bodies and institutes, in charge of design, research, development, management, as well as university teaching.
Career areas of particular interest are telecommunications systems managers, service providers, technical and sales offices and professional firms, authorities including ITU, ETSI, ENAV, national and international agencies (TLC, ASI, ESA Authority), industries producing remote measuring, remote control and remote monitoring systems. Referring to the ISTAT categories of professional classifications, graduates in Telecommunications Engineering fall mainly under sector 2.2.1.4 Electronic and Telecommunications Engineers.
The city of Bologna lies at the heart of one of the highest concentrations of small and medium enterprises in the country. The competencies developed during the degree programme are sought not only by the specific industries of the sector, but are also appreciated in a wider technological area, including mechanics and automation companies, services and food processing industries, all of them well represented locally.
Traditionally however, TLC engineering graduates easily find employment in other Italian regions (particularly Milan, Turin and Rome) and abroad; UNIBO Telecommunications Engineering graduates are frequently employed in large international companies such as Siemens, Nokia, Ericsson, Thales, Alcatel-Lucent, Telefonica, Deutsche Telecom, Orange.
Finally, Telecommunications Engineering graduates master a set of knowledge and methodologies allowing them to successfully apply for PhD programmes across Europe.
