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Other data processing and communication engineers

How to become a Telecommunications Engineer

Also called: Telecommunications facilities engineer, Network engineer

Builds, maintains and runs telecommunications infrastructure (the foundations of networks).

Main tasks

Workers in this job say university is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

No particular education or qualification is required to start. New graduates usually come from a technical high school (such as an electrical course) or kosen (college of technology), or have studied electrical or electronic engineering at university or postgraduate level in science and engineering. It takes several years of experience and study to master the basic skills, be able to coordinate with people inside and outside the company and be considered fully skilled. Related qualifications include national qualifications such as first-class land special radio operator, second-class land radio operator, first-class land radio operator and chief telecommunications engineer. Chief telecommunications engineer is needed to be the supervisor in a department that builds, maintains and runs telecommunications networks. For electrical work you may also need the chief electrical engineer qualification (first, second or third class). You need knowledge of the Telecommunications Business Act, the Wire Telecommunications Act, the Radio Act and similar laws, and sometimes of the Constitution and Convention of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Security is important today, so knowledge of preventing unauthorised access, electronic signatures and electronic authentication is also needed. Telecommunications technology moves very fast, so you need a desire to keep learning new technology, as well as the ability to explain things logically and solve problems. You also need to keep working steadily towards development goals, and because engineers often develop things in teams, cooperation and clear communication skills are needed. As you are promoted, project management skills are needed too. Manuals and documents for equipment are sometimes in English, so a certain level of English is needed.

Ways in

Pay · Job openings · AI and this job

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Telecommunications Engineer?

No particular education or qualification is required to start. New graduates usually come from a technical high school (such as an electrical course) or kosen (college of technology), or have studied electrical or electronic engineering at university or postgraduate level in science and engineering. It takes several years of experience and study to master the basic skills, be able to coordinate with people inside and outside the company and be considered fully skilled. Related qualifications include national qualifications such as first-class land special radio operator, second-class land radio operator, first-class land radio operator and chief telecommunications engineer. Chief telecommunications engineer is needed to be the supervisor in a department that builds, maintains and runs telecommunications networks. For electrical work you may also need the chief electrical engineer qualification (first, second or third class). You need knowledge of the Telecommunications Business Act, the Wire Telecommunications Act, the Radio Act and similar laws, and sometimes of the Constitution and Convention of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Security is important today, so knowledge of preventing unauthorised access, electronic signatures and electronic authentication is also needed. Telecommunications technology moves very fast, so you need a desire to keep learning new technology, as well as the ability to explain things logically and solve problems. You also need to keep working steadily towards development goals, and because engineers often develop things in teams, cooperation and clear communication skills are needed. As you are promoted, project management skills are needed too. Manuals and documents for equipment are sometimes in English, so a certain level of English is needed.

How much does a Telecommunications Engineer earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥6,097,600 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Other data processing and communication engineers, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become a Telecommunications Engineer?

Usually. In this job's census occupation group, 61% of workers are university graduates.

Will AI change the work of a Telecommunications Engineer?

Generative AI could change some tasks in this job, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026