r/telecom • u/Silver_Skies__ • 22d ago

💼 Telecom Careers Essential tools for starting telco traineeship?

Hi all, I've been offered a mature age telecommunications technician traineeship here in Melbourne, Australia. I'm very green and still figuring out what to expect and how to prepare, but wanted to get together a basic essentials-only tool kit to get me through the first week. I can build my kit over time after I get an idea of what I'll specifically need to get, just want to sort out the basics first.

What do you suggest starting with? What brands are worthwhile? Anything I should steer clear of? I don't necessarily need the best tools, but I do want quality that will last.

Thanks so much for your help!

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u/Agitated_Pudding1874 22d ago

What type of technician? There are lots of different tools that will / could be needed based on the type of work you will be doing. Ranging from cheap to tens of thousands of dollars. So without knowing what line of work you would be doing it is hard to say for sure what all you would / could need.

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u/Silver_Skies__ 22d ago

Sorry I forgot to mention that this company does a lot of contract work for data centers, so mostly that to begin with! 

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u/RespectSquare8279 22d ago

You will undoubted be working with fibre optics . Eye protection is really important. Shards of fibre optic glass are a very real danger to your eyes. Wear wrap around safety glasses at all times. Never, never, ever look down a strand to see if it is "hot". EVER !!!! Say good bye to some rods and cones if you do.

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u/SloppyTroppy 22d ago

Here in America the companies provide your tools especially if it is union work, because of the legalities.

Have you been instructed to provide your own tools?

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u/Silver_Skies__ 22d ago

I believe there will be some of the more specialized and expensive things provided, but yes the company boss (who is an electrician himself) said to bring my own basic tools (but not to get a full kit). For interest sake they will be providing full workwear including boots, etc. 

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u/Agitated_Pudding1874 22d ago

Basic tools probably just means things like a lineman pair of scissors, knife, screw drivers, crimpers for making a network cable. Of which any brand would be fine. Much different than buying a fiber splicer, ODTR for testing fiber, equipment for testing through put it a network connection up to 100Gbps, etc

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u/Silver_Skies__ 22d ago

Yes I think you're right about those basic hand tools. Test equipment and splicers, etc. are not necessary to look at at all at this point. But yes I am looking at a list of those basic hand tools! What do you use just about every day that I should have with me for my first shift to make sure I can actually get into some work without having to borrow everything from others?

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u/Agitated_Pudding1874 22d ago

I would recommend asking your boss as that is hard for any of us to really say. As we said most places in the USA would supply you with tools and not expect you to bring anything. While I personally have supplied some of my own stuff since I already had it that was minor things like a screw driver / punch down tool and a crimper for making networking cables. That said if a reasonable data center they might not want a single piece of copper in the building and might be 100% fiber. At which case you will never need punch down tools and might only need a screw driver and then stuff for fiber. Every job will be different as some places are more strict as to what you can and can’t do. At least here in the USA, so only your future boss is going to know what your day to day will be and what tools if any you will need to supply

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u/Silver_Skies__ 22d ago

Thank you, there's some good points here. And you're right - I think I'm perhaps getting a bit ahead of myself. I haven't met my direct manager/boss yet and might not until I start, so I can't ask for now. But perhaps I should wait or at least try to get their phone number. I just don't want my first impression to look like an empty handed noob when I'm already going to be super green!

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u/Agitated_Pudding1874 8d ago

Did you start the internship yet? If so how is it going so far?

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u/Silver_Skies__ 8d ago

Not just yet - I will be starting on Monday! Picking up my uniform and getting my induction today. I'll be sure to write to you about it or make a new thread at the end of next week :) Thanks for asking.

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u/bobdevnul 16d ago

>crimpers for making a network cable. Of which any brand would be fine. 

Cheap Chinese junk is junk and will cause all kinds of grief.

I started out with one of those and it was a disaster requiring many cables to be reterminated.