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TELECOM TRAINING: Telecom Training: Tie up, Train…Retrain

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VoicenData Bureau
New Update

Training Options



n Training by

Equipment Vendors:
This is the most widespread form of training, especially

at service provider organizations. Here, the vendor that does the deployment of

the network is also responsible for training the professionals employed by the

service provider in the operations and maintenance of the network.

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The training program is part of the entire contract in many cases. However,

this only takes care of short-term training needs. As and when new service

creations take place, or augmentation of the network takes place (which is an

ongoing process) new training needs crop up. The training lag needs to be

removed by providing adequate training and retraining to professionals on

emerging technologies and related areas of operations.

Private

Telecom Initiatives

SITM

(www.www.symbiosistelecom.com)



Pune-based
institute which offers several courses in telecom and has

established itself. The curriculum comprise of telecom technologies

and services, besides communication networks and management.

Amity

Institute Of Telecom Technology & Management
(http://www.amity.edu/aittm/default.htm)

The institute aims

to make available to telecom service industries and systems

integrators skilled technical personnel for network planning, radio

engineering, broadband networking with specialization in mobile

technology and optical networking.

n Strong

In-house Training Team:
This approach means that the service provider has an

in-house training team comprising experienced trainers. But the approach has not

really worked as service providers have not really paid much attention to it. As

a responsibility of the HR department, training and retraining are yet to emerge

as a priority area for service providers. Most of the service providers do not

have adequately qualified training manpower to impart the required training,

which leaves little option for them than to outsource their needs.

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n Outsourcing:

Outsourcing one’s entire training needs to a specialized training service

provider is the best option that is available to the service providers today but

unfortunately it has not been fully exploited. There are several reasons to

outsource the training part to a third-party provider. This not only frees

service providers from the extra burden of developing an in-house training team

but also allows them to concentrate on operational aspects. Most of the players

have high-quality training programs and also offer customized packages for the

service provider. The service provider, by outsourcing, can establish a

long-term relationship with training providers to gain a competitive edge in

emerging technologies.

This can also help service providers offload non-core functions. They need

not worry about hiring the right training staff, can save on capital

expenditure, and do away with the need to create a training infrastructure. Many

of these outsourcers have also partnered with consultants to deliver more

effective training programs, which would not have been feasible for them if they

followed the in-house training model. The key, however, is finding the training

provider that delivers what it promises.

There have been reports of gaps between what was promised and what actually

was delivered. So the challenge is to select a training provider who can service

the service provider’s specific needs without putting a heavy load on the

latter’s budget.

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Training Outsourcing Tips



Important

Areas of Training

n VoIP
n W-LAN
n CDMA
n Upgradation

of network to GPRS, 3G
n Embedded

Technologies
n Billing
n Churn

management
n  Customer

care
n Dealer

training
n Marketing
n Network

planning
n New

technology areas
n Regulatory,

policy and business management aspects of telecom
n Sales
n Training

on switches
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n Training

Experience:
The amount of prior experience that the training company has in

training professionals working with service providers is crucial. The

credibility of the company is very important and that depends on the number of

satisfied customers it has and the reputation it enjoys in the market place. The

training provider should ideally have a full-time experienced faculty with rich

practical experience.

n Course

Content:
It is of prime importance to ensure that the training company has a

comprehensive and quality training content available at its disposal. The study

material forms an important part of any training program and serves as a

reference source once the training is over. It should also be ensured that the

instructors are among the top in their respective areas and the training

material incorporates latest technologies and applications.

n Cost:

Going for a cheaper alternative may sometimes prove counterproductive. At the

same time, paying a higher cost does not guarantee a quality training program.

So the need is to do a cost-benefit analysis before finally outsourcing one’s

training needs to a particular company. Cost-effectiveness has to be measured in

terms of the benefits that the training is going to accrue to the service

provider. This can vary depending on the type of infrastructure and quality of

instructors that the training company has to offer.

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n Instructors’

Profile:
This is of immense important as trainers are going to be the ones

who will make the difference between the success and failure of a training

program. It should be ensured that instructors are the best in their areas of

specialization and have the requisite technical expertise. They should be able

to explain the underlying concepts and supplement them with a practical

understanding of telecommunications technologies and services.

n Commitment:

The commitment of the training company towards training is important. Training

is an ongoing exercise and the services of the training company should be

available as and when required (say for re-training), even after the training is

complete. Service providers should inculcate a long-term relationship with the

training company as training is not a one-time solution.

n Training

Tools:
It is very important to find out whether the training company has the

required training tools to carry out and support the training program in the

desired manner. The instructor-led training program should be supplemented with

audio, video, and simulation for a better understanding of the subject.

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n Customization:

It has to be found out whether the training company has the wherewithal to

customize the training program to suit the client’s product or service or it

can offer just a run-of-the-mill course content.

n Hands-on:

This should be a priority as there are very few companies that actually offer

hands-on sessions. The reason is very simple. Buying costly telecom equipment

and providing training on them is something that no one is ready to do due to

the cost factor and some vendor-warranty related issues. The solution for this

is to look for capabilities in the company to offer real-life simulations and

troubleshooting exercises on a demo network, covering the practical side of

relevant technologies.

n On-site

Training:
This is important due to two reason. First, it takes care of the

hands-on training needs. Second, disruptions in business are minimized with

employees remaining on site while undergoing training

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Training Scenario

The telecom training market in India is still in its nascent stage despite

the presence of several telecom service providers offering various

services. 

BSNL being the largest employers of telecom professionals in India, its

training need are also sizable. As such, it has set up large-scale in-house

training facilities for its professionals. Among private operators, Reliance and

Bharti also reportedly have in-house training teams. These teams take care of

the training needs of professionals, once the training contracts with vendors

are over. Reliance has also set up an open-for-all training institute to cater

to the growing needs in various areas of specialization. Large user

organizations also have training requirements for their in-house networking

departments.

n Market Size:

As the market is not mature and organized enough, it is really difficult to

assess its size in terms of value. BSNL is reportedly spending around Rs 100

crore through its Advanced Level Telecommunications Center and various regional

training centers on training and skill upgradation of its employees. (BSNL

professionals get their training from Advanced Level Telecommunications Training

Center, Ghaziabad besides the regional centers which are about 44 in number.)

One good news is that ALTTC is considering to open up its training facility to

private operators. Some operators have even approached ALTTC for the purpose.

Approximately the same amount is being spent by the private sector on

training its employees. This spending is largely accounted for, both by the

vendor-specific training on products as well as training in new and emerging

technologies. A very small fraction of this is also being spent on

non-technology training areas like marketing and customer care. Bharti has spent

about Rs 20 crore to set up Bharti School of Telecommunication Technology and

Management in association with IIT Delhi.

n Healthy

Growth Projected:
It is projected that at a 20—25 percent growth in the

telecom industry, the market for telecom training and education will be in the

range of Rs 350-400 crore in the near future. A study by Arthur Anderson

(commissioned by the British Council) estimated that in the near future, the

market will be around 55 million pounds.

Academy—Industry Initiatives Are a Growing Trend

Some training institutes have come up as a result of the efforts of service

providers. These institutes are clearly an attempt to create a pool of trained

professionals for internal consumption. However, they do hint at a growing

awareness in the industry for the need to provide training to employees as well

as potential recruits.

Bharti School of Telecommunication Technology and Management



(http://www.iitd.ernet.in/bsttm/)



The Bharti School of Telecommunication Technology and Management was

established in 2000, through a financial grant made to the IIT Delhi by Bharti

Enterprises, a leading telecommunication company. It has two programs–MTech in

telecommunication technology and management and MBA with a focus on

telecommunication systems management. But the number of students admitted for

these programs is only 10 which is too small a number, though the admission

process is rigorous.

Ushamartin Academy of Communication Technology



(http://www.uactindia.org/)




Ushamartin Academy of Communication Technology (UACT) is a finishing school
established as a joint venture between the Usha Martin Group and the IIT Madras.

The main academic resource of UACT is the TeNet group of IIT Madras, an R&D

house engaged in the development of telecom products. UACT supports research and

development activities in telecom software and hot technology areas like WAP,

GPRS, EDGE, 3G, Bluetooth, VoIP, SIM Toolkit, and WML.

Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology



(http://www.da-iict.org/)




Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology set up in
Gandhinagar, set up by Reliance under an MoU with the Government of Gujarat, is

aimed at making for India’s present inadequate technology professional

resource base. The institute was recently awarded a university status. It will

offer education, research, and training programs in information and

communication technology at certificate, undergraduate, postgraduate, and

doctoral levels.

The study pointed out that there is continued pressure on admission at

premier institutions. To be easily absorbed in the industry, graduates from

other institutions will need to undergo training in order to gain knowledge and

build specific skill-sets. It is the quality of manpower that will primarily

cause the manpower demand-supply gap in the telecom industry–hence the need

for training.

n Little Scope

for Specialized Training:
While no one can doubt the potential, the business

of specialized education or training in telecom is not considered lucrative

enough. This is because while the working professionals have been too busy to

spare time for training, telecom has not attracted engineers or MBAs, the way

IT, finance or management consultancy did some time ago. Moreover, those already

working in the industry will need to train themselves in the new technology,

business and policy areas. Education and training in all aspects of technology,

business and policy is needed to attain "the right mix of knowledge

necessary to survive in a highly competitive environment," according a

senior telecom professional with years of national and global experience.

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