The demand for telecom operators is growing linearly – Newspaper Kommersant No. 43 (7488) dated 03/15/2023

The number of vacancies in the telecommunications market in February grew by only 3% year-on-year. At the same time, the best dynamics was shown by the vacancies of specialists in laying the main fiber, their number increased by 32%, calculated in HeadHunter. Demand for specialists in the development of mobile communications, on the contrary, decreased by 7%. The trend is associated with an active search for employees who will lay and restore lines in the LPR, DPR, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, market participants say. In the mobile segment, operators, on the contrary, have slowed down development due to a shortage of equipment, analysts say.

Kommersant got acquainted with HeadHunter’s data on the dynamics of vacancies in telecommunications: in February their number grew by only 3% year-on-year, although in relation to January – by 33% at once. In annual terms, the best dynamics was shown by vacancies in the fiber optic communications segment (specialists whose work is related to the laying of the main optical communications) – by 32%. Next in terms of the number of vacancies is satellite communications – an increase of 17%, then – fixed from 11%.

At the same time, the number of vacancies in the mobile communications segment decreased by 7% yoy in February.

HeadHunter clarified that the total number of resumes created or updated in January-March 2023 with experience in telecom companies over the past three years amounted to more than 97 thousand. At the same time, job seekers in the telecom industry began to offer salaries 13% more often from 120 thousand rubles and by 11% – from 90 thousand rubles. The number of vacancies with an income of 65 thousand rubles. decreased by 6%.

Kommersant’s interlocutors in the telecom market suggest that the decrease in the number of vacancies in mobile communications is due to a shortage of equipment: “Less service personnel are needed, there is nothing special to install.” On the decline in the construction of mobile networks “Kommersant” told February 6.

Timur Nigmatullin, senior investment consultant at Finam, added that in March last year, the Ministry of Digital Development recommended that operators abandon unlimited tariffs due to fear of network congestion: “Companies have reduced the load on networks, so additional employees are also not required to replace stations.”

At the same time, Rostelecom claims that their number of vacancies for employees whose work is related to fiber optics did not increase in 2023: “On average, 45–50 vacancies of this profile are open in a company across Russia.” However, TransTeleCom says that they are always “interested in employees with competencies in terms of working with fiber-optic communication lines.” MegaFon and VimpelCom only note that they have not suspended the search for new employees. Tele2 and MTS declined to comment.

The growth in demand for specialists in the fiber-optic communications segment, according to Kommersant’s interlocutors in the industry, is associated with the development of networks in the DPR, LPR, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions.

In particular, “Kommersant” found on the profile portal Workius six advertisements of MirTelecom (a telecom operator in the Kherson region) about the search for installers and cable splicers. Employees will have to lay and install fiber-optic cables, carry out welding and measuring work on lines, and participate in emergency and restoration work on communication networks. The salary will be 40-45 thousand rubles.

Dmitry Arkhipov, head of technology consulting at the NTI Competence Center, believes that the increase in the number of vacancies in this segment can also be associated with an increase in the volume of fiber laying by operators as part of the state program to eliminate the digital divide. Also, he adds, the trend can be explained by the growing demands of customers for the quality of services. Ksenia Koskova, HR director of the Raketa digital travel and expense management platform, clarifies that “January is a month of business calm in many areas.” Since February, she says, “more active work begins and the appearance of new vacancies looks like a logical consequence.”

Julia Yurasova