Getting Ready for 5G: Preparing a Skilled Workforce for Future Wireless Networks

Accelerating the pace at which 5G can be expanded has massive economic and workforce benefits. Timely deployment of 5G is expected to create 4.6 million direct and indirect jobs. The 5G deployment at macro towers, small cells, and in private networks, requires more workers, with different skills, in different places. However, without the skilled workforce and training programs, current and planned wireless industry investments will hit the roadblocks. Skills gap for the telecommunication industry needs to be addressed NOW for the United States to win the race to 5G. In this session, experts from our industry will address the skills-gap and workforce challenges for the broadband deployment. Some of the topics we plan to cover include 5G’s current state and future projections, workforce needed to meet 5G deployment goals, role of systematic training programs to address reskilling, transferrable skills to address the current skills gap for 5G, role of apprenticeships to address the workers’ shortage for the communications industry, and roles of government and academia to meet the industry’s demand of skilled workforce.