The first stage of the 5G revolution is almost over. 5G wireless access networks are ubiquitous, more than half of mobile phones are 5G-enabled, and that proportion is rapidly increasing as consumers replace older mobile phones.
The second phase of the ongoing 5G revolution is focused on the transition to 5G standalone replacing the 4G core. During this phase, service providers can develop and deploy 5G applications and services that support 5G use cases such as network slicing for virtual private 5G networks, ultra-dense IoT deployments, and ultra-low latency responsiveness for real-time services. It is expected.
All of these changes will create an evolving 5G job market. Service providers, system integrators, and enterprises are expanding their search for network architects, engineers, developers, and program managers to advance their 5G ambitions. Some 5G jobs may focus on the following areas:
- Service development and management for network operators.
- Infrastructure design and maintenance for service providers or enterprises.
- Application development for both provider and customer software.
- Enterprise service design and management.
Here are the top five things employers are looking for in new hires when it comes to 5G skill sets.
1. 5G technology skills and aspirations
The 5G technology stack differs from its 4G predecessor in several important ways. Network operators, consulting and integration firms, and companies interested in building their own networks seek professionals with knowledge or experience in the following areas:
- 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) and Open RAN.
- 5G-XHaul, an interconnect network that connects the 5G edge to the 5G core.
- 5G core platform.
- Applications and services such as network slicing are layered on top of the core.
Many job postings ask for entry-level employees with multiple years of experience, which is an unrealistically high demand given the scarcity of experience in the labor supply.
Applicants with some knowledge and who are good at learning quickly should consider applying for positions where deep 5G technical expertise is the only thing lacking. They should clearly communicate their experience and clearly discuss the preparation time needed to develop their skills if hired.
2. Network architecture, engineering, and integration
Employers are looking for broader experience in systems architecture and engineering, along with a need for 5G-specific expertise. Reflecting the latest architectural capabilities of 5G, required skills include cloud-native design, distributed systems deployment using both core and edge computing, and high availability based on containerization, virtualization, and microservices. included. Skills supporting these areas include experience with cloud management platforms, container orchestration platforms, and infrastructure-as-code deployment systems.
Employers are also looking for applicants with experience and knowledge in network architecture, design, and engineering, particularly in software defined networking (SDN), network function virtualization, and mobile networks such as 4G LTE.
As carriers and enterprises begin to integrate 5G products with other core platforms and work together with 5G options from multiple providers, the demand for system integration, especially between cloud network services, is increasing.
3. Network security and network applications
In some cases, security awareness, experience, and expertise are required behind general “best practices” language. If you’re working on 5G architecture, you need secure architecture principles. For 5G deployment jobs, experience with secure deployment methods is required. Also, for 5G application development, experience in a secure software development lifecycle environment is preferred.
Several factors make it more important and difficult than ever to protect critical components of 5G network infrastructure from attacks, including:
- The newness and complexity of the 5G technology stack.
- Virtualization and containerization introduce a lot of moving parts to 5G, both figuratively and literally.
- A network hosted on a standard platform rather than specialized hardware with a custom platform-specific OS.
4. Adaptive leadership and good communication
Many 5G positions seek applicants who can quickly adapt to changes in complex business and technology environments, including changing strategies, evolving requirements, and changing timelines. Others are looking for applicants who are ready to lead teams by focusing on short-term goals and long-term strategic goals, building consensus based on data, and responding to new data. All positions in 5G seem to require good communication skills, whether it’s clearly telling team members what to do and why, or communicating to leadership where you stand on a project and why.
5. Product development lifecycle and project management
Because the 5G market is so new, rapidly growing, and changing, many companies are looking for applicants with experience delivering software or hardware products or operator services from concept to deliverable. Many employers are looking for project management experience or even a professional certification in project management. Other companies are looking for experienced developers who are familiar with agile development methodologies such as DevOps and familiar with the tools associated with agile development.
and everything else
Requirements vary widely depending on the job, but in addition to the specific qualities and skills listed above, several other themes are widely repeated. Some of his other high-level 5G skills include:
- Overall adaptability, exemplified by the need for adaptive leadership qualities.
- An understanding of enterprise network services in general and SDN and software-defined WAN in particular.
- Familiarity with current and emerging 5G use cases, including high-density or real-time responsive IoT networking.
Experience in a related industry is always a plus. If your company’s main customers are manufacturers, experience building networks within a manufacturing company is highly desirable.
John Burke is CTO and Principal Research Analyst at Nemertes Research. With nearly 20 years of technology experience, he has worked at all levels of IT. His areas of focus include AI, cloud, networking, infrastructure, automation, and cybersecurity.
