I am 19years old and a Cisco Network Engineer for Nova Voice and Data Systems, Inc., in Oceanside, CA.
Nova Voice and Data Systems, Inc. (
(http://www.NovaVoiceandData.com) provides Cisco Voice over IP and network solutions for Small and Medium sized businesses (SMB), as well as commercial voice and data cabling and Toshiba PBX and Voice over IP phone systems. A day in the life may involve complicated or simple tasks, but whether at a desk, crawling through an attic, or crouched in a telephone closet, a telecommunications engineer is always calculating his next move and the move after his next move while he makes his present move.
"I hear telecommunications engineer are either in the technical (circuits, waves and stuff) or computer and networking (programming, cisco, networking) aspect. Is this right?"
Not necessarily, Although my title is Cisco Network Engineer, I commonly work with both circuits and computer networking and programming of network devices. I often deal with analog lines. Analog lines can be used for CO's (Central Office lines - the lines that connect phone systems to the PSTN - Public Switched Telephone Network) or they can be used for analog end points suchas a Fax line, Alarm line, Loudringer, or analog phone. I am certified in Cisco's Voice over IP systems as well as Toshiba's CIX - digital telephone PBX systems. Although my primary role is Cisco's product line, having experience and certifications in non VoIP telephony is important.
Cisco offers a career path for Voice. The expert level is CCIE Voice and the certification path is:
CCNA-->CCNA Voice-->CCNP Voice-->CCIE Voice
The average salary of a CCIE Voice in Los Angeles, CA is $106,000
Voice over IP is currently one of the fastest growing industries.