In this issue:

• In Their Words: IEEE WCPs Share Why They Took the IEEE WCET Exam
• Deadline Reminder: Commit to Taking the IEEE WCET Certification Exam
• Courses to Take to Increase Your Skills in March and April
• Industry News
   

In Their Words:
IEEE WCPs Share Why They Took the IEEE WCET Exam

With the approaching Spring testing window for the IEEE WCET Certification exam, you may be asking yourself, "What are the reasons that I should earn this certification?  How will it benefit me?"  Who better to ask than the current IEEE WCPs themselves about what they feel are the greatest benefits of IEEE WCET Certification and what were the deciding factors that led them to earn their certification.  Our findings show that there are three main drivers:

            1.) To show their commitment to the industry

            2.)To improve their skills and deepen their current knowledge base            

            3.) To help them advance their career.

Commitment to the Industry

As stated in the IEEE WCET Candidate’s Handbook, this certification was created to "assess the skills and knowledge of practicing wireless communications professionals with the equivalent of a college or university degree and three or more years of professional experience."  Earning your IEEE WCP (Wireless Communication Professional) credential shows that you have the knowledge and on-the-job experience needed to be successful globally in this industry.  Many consider it to be a challenge to pass the test and taking the time to prepare on your own time demonstrates one’s commitment to the profession and the wireless communications industry.  "After 5 years working for a cellular network operator in several technical areas, my passion for the industry did nothing but increase.  Such passion drove me to question myself about my professional development and commitment.  I received the IEEE WCP information and I decided that to prepare and pass this certification would be the first step towards a bigger commitment to the profession I love," said Jorge Mario Guzman, IEEE WCP and Independent Contractor in Bogotá, Colombia.

Globally IEEE ComSoc's commitment to industry is especially recognized through the partnerships that have been established to extend the reach of the IEEE WCET Certification Program.  MCPC (Mobile Computing Promotion Consortium) of Japan and NTUST (National Taiwan University of Science and Technology) of Taiwan are active partners in the IEEE WCET Certification Program supporting professionals in their regions to demonstrate their experience, knowledge and skills by earning this credential.  Individuals from these partnerships join others who have earned the IEEE WCP credential from more than 24 countries around the world.

The wireless communications industry is experiencing tremendous growth, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.  New opportunities are emerging requiring professionals to stay current and IEEE WCET Certification is a strong way to show your commitment to continuous professional development and advancement. IEEE WCET Certification makes it easier for industry to identify those dedicated to a profession in wireless communications.  Adam Drobot, CTO, Telcorida, clearly expressed the value of this certification to industry during his 2010 IEEE Wireless Communications Networking Conference (WCNC) keynote address when he said that “the WCET exam provides professional recognition for those individuals who have the necessary breadth and can be counted on as effective practitioners in the engineering, deployment, or operation of wireless systems.”

Personal Achievement and Professional Development

In addition to achieving an internationally recognized industry credential and joining an elite group of wireless communication professionals, earning this credential can be a very satisfying personal experience.  You are not only demonstrating your commitment to the industry but also your commitment to your own professional development.  It takes an investment in time to prepare for the exam. Most individuals who pursue WCET Certification do a number of things to study, including reading reference materials, participating in training courses, and taking the practice exam.  Through the preparation process and the challenge of successfully completing the certification exam, many individuals end up learning a lot about themselves.  "Taking the exam is very useful to know my current skills and knowledge," stated Ryota Kimura, who recently earned IEEE WCP in Fall 2012.  Again, Jorge Mario Guzman shared that for him "to earn the certification means to accomplish a goal after a big effort and commitment. The process of studying for the exam taught me a lot about myself and has given me motivation to move forward on my career."  Hiroshi Kizaki of KDDI Corporation - a communication company in Japan, who also became an IEEE WCP in 2012 shared that for him earning the certification “was great challenge for me and I am very happy to get it.”

Career Advancement

Another important benefit that was expressed by many of the IEEE WCPs was this certification would be very helpful in improving their career opportunities.  This seemed to be especially true for those looking to move into new technical areas within the industry.  Satoshi Nagano, IEEE WCP and certified engineer through Japan’s MCPC, was looking to expand his experience into new areas and felt that the IEEE WCET Certification “is suitable for the future development of my career."  Scott Peterman, IEEE WCP and RF Engineer for the United States Air Force, also shared a similar sentiment about WCET Certification, "I do feel that this can have a large impact on my career opportunities and I am glad that the IEEE created the certification to create a benchmark for people working in this field."

In addition to career advancement, many WCPs expect their certification to have a positive impact on their dealings with colleagues, customers, and future clients.  Many independent contractors who earned this certification see it as a valuable asset for their consulting business and consider it to be a great way to convey their qualifications to new clients.  When a client, co-worker, or organization sees that you’ve earned IEEE WCET Certification, they can be assured that you bring valuable knowledge and experience to the job and can be relied upon as a leader in the field of wireless communications.

Get Certified

Your next opportunity to earn IEEE WCET Certification is quickly approaching with the testing window being open from 7 April until 4 May 2013.  Applications to  take the exam during that time period must be submitted by 22 March, so you must act now.  More information on how to apply for the exam can be found on the IEEE WCET website.  Don’t miss this opportunity to join an elite group of wireless communication professional who are already putting the benefits of their IEEE WCET Certification to good use in advancing their career, enhancing their professional development and showing their commitment to the industry. 

A very special Thank You is extended to all our IEEE WCPs for sharing their insights with us for the development of this article and Special Thanks to IEEE WCPs: Jorge Mario Guzman (pictured upper left), Ryota Kimura (pictured upper right), Hiroshi Kizaki (pictured left) and Satoshi Nagano (pictured right) for sharing their pictures with us.

Deadline Reminder:
Commit to Taking the IEEE WCET Certification Exam

Applications for the April/May 2013 testing window for IEEE WCET certification are being accepted now through 22 March 2013.  Once you have completed the exam application, you can then decide the day that you would like to take the exam between the dates of 7 April and 4 May.  Act now to become an IEEE Wireless Communications Professional (WCP) this year.

Curious if certification is right for you? Learn more about it online where you can also review application details and understand exam specifications to get a comprehensive view of exactly what is covered on the exam.  You’ll get a full appreciation of the breadth and depth of what IEEE WCPs know and why they stand head and shoulders above the competition.

Learn more about the certification exam application.

Courses to Take to Increase Your Skills in March and April

Overview of Machine-to-Machine (M2M) for Engineers & Managers
26 March 2013 - 9:00am - 4:30pm EST - Online
Save your seat by noon (EST) March 25th to participate.

2 for 1 Deal: April Boot Camp Course PLUS Spring 2013 WCET Exam Seat
This limited time offer is available only through 22 March 2013.

Boot Camp for the Wireless Professional
5 day online course (9:00am - 11:00am EST; 2 hour break then resume at 1:00pm - 3:00pm EST each day)
1-5 April 2013 
20 hours of instruction - Earn 2 IEEE CEUs for participating.

Wireless Communications Engineering: Fundamentals & Applications
10 April 2013 - 9:00am - 4:30pm EST - Online
Newly updated - offered for the first time online on the 10th!

4G - Deep Technology Insights
Fri, April 12, 2013 - In Person Course at the Marriott Courtyard in Bellevue/Redmond, WA - USA
Details, including locations, course outline and registration.

LTE for the Wireless Engineering Practitioner: Fundamentals & Applications
25 April 2013 - 9:00am - 4:30pm EST - Online

VoLTE: Convergence of IMS-Based Voice and LTE
30 April 2013 - 9:00am - 4:30pm EST - Online

Industry News

Mobile Industry to Employ 10 Million by 2017
A new report from the GSM Association reveals that the worldwide mobile industry will employ nearly 10 million people in 2017. The industry is also expected to invest $1.1 trillion in infrastructure by that time, while annual revenue will grow to reach $1.6 trillion. [Times of India]

T-Mobile to Lay Off 100 at HQ
As its recently approved merger with MetroPCS looms, T-Mobile USA has announced layoffs of more than 100 people at its Bellevue headquarters. The layoffs will come from the marketing department and "other groups." The company cut 4,200 jobs in 2012. [Seattle Times]

College Students Landing Mobile Jobs Upon Graduation
Demand for skilled employees is so high, particularly in the software arena, that many college students are getting job offers along with their diplomas. All of the major handset manufacturers seem to be hiring, although reportedly fewer job offers are coming from mobile carriers. Students who have already created their own mobile apps are particularly appealing to recruiters. [RCR Wireless]

Brazil Faces LTE Labor Shortage
About 1,000 LTE job positions are sitting unfilled in Brazil, which lacks enough trained workers to meet the need. Many companies are reportedly bringing in workers from Europe, although they face visa hurdles to import the foreign talent. [RCR Wireless]

AT&T to Hire 500 in California
Demand for AT&T's U-verse service is so high that the company plans to hire more than 500 people in California alone. The company is even offering three-year contracts to many new-hires. Most jobs will be in the technician category, although other positions are reportedly available. [Patch]

More Job Sites Optimized for Mobile
It is not just the mobile industry itself that is hiring: the most qualified candidates for all positions are the ones using mobile technologies to find their jobs. Recruitment experts say that job sites which are not optimized for mobile will not attract the most valuable talent. Fortune 500 companies are lagging behind this trend: only about 2% of their job sites are optimized for mobile. [USA Today]

India's Mobile, Media, Internet Jobs up 14% in January
In a big jump, 14% more people were hired in India for the media, mobile and internet sectors, according to the job site Naukri. While there is apparently some degree of overlap between the site's categories, they report that the media sector had the highest hiring increase of any sector in the past year. [MediaNama]

FreedomPop Enters "Freemium" Broadband Market
Broadband wireless service for free? That's what FreedomPop is now offering customers who buy its $89 wireless router. The device connects to Clearwire's WiMax network. Subscribers will be able to use 1GB of free broadband per month at 1.5mbps, with a $0.005 charge per megabyte after that. There are also several plans for higher download levels and faster speeds. [Wireless Week]

Webinar: What Skills Are in Demand?
There's a hiring war out there for the right talent, but do hiring managers know what constitutes the "right talent" in a rapidly evolving technology landscape? RCR Wireless will hold a webinar on March 21 to discuss the software development, design and engineering skills that are particularly in demand right now. [RCR Wireless]

Google Cuts 1,200 Motorola Jobs
As Motorola Mobility continues to struggle Google has announced it will lay off 1,200 of the division's 7,000 employees. [Wireless Week]

Webinar: Mobile Health Trends
A recent webinar looked back at what 2012 brought to the mobile health industry and what is ahead for 2013. The event has been archived online. [Mobile Health News]

A New Idea: Smart, Connected Medicine Bottles
What time are you supposed to take that pill? Your medicine bottle could know the answer and communicate with your phone to let you know that your dosage is due. Several new kinds of smart, connected pillboxes are now hitting the market. [Medical Health News]

Free Online SDN Course Coming in May
Georgia Tech will offer a free six-week online course on software-defined networking beginning May 27. The massive open online course (MOOC) will include 10-minute video lectures that will cover "everything you need to know about SDN." [ComputerWorld]