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Hello WWLF Members!
I feel like my introduction to this month’s newsletter should be titled, “What I learned at the South Wireless Summit” which was held last week in Nashville, TN. Like many of you, I have been in the wireless telecommunications industry for years and I cannot imagine enjoying any other occupation as much as I do this one. There was a time I owned a chocolate candy business but I kept eating the profits so that didn’t work out too well.
I am the person who is referred to as a “seasoned” professional. I have broad wireless telecom industry knowledge and I know a little about a lot. I am a SME and I have been a mentor and a leader. I learned there are many people in the industry just like me; seasoned. This is a wonderful thing when it comes to sharing our wisdom and our experience with others in the industry and assisting others to discover what they do best.
As I looked around the room during the opening remarks by the keynote speaker at the SWS, I noted an imbalance in the room. I’m not referring to the lack of diversity we commonly recognize regarding minorities and women in the workforce but rather, the absence of younger talent. I started wondering, “Who are our replacements when we retire? Where are the people who will take our place and strengthen the future of the wireless industry? What proactive measures are we taking to recruit fresh talent? I don’t believe people graduate from high school or college and say, “I really want to be in the wireless industry.” Like me, somehow, they just fall into it. I started as a receptionist for a paging company. Our past president was a high school teacher who worked for a major carrier during the summer break and was offered a full-time position. The carrier recognized her innate “soft skills” like organization, time management, accuracy and plays well with others. I hear this same story over and over from our WWLF members. Instead of hoping people will just fall into our workforce, how can we proactively recruit these talented individuals?
Determine the soft skills which are beneficial to the position for which you are hiring. Who are the people who would naturally have these skills? Maybe they are teachers, paralegals, or managers of a tech store (like Apple). They could be IT professionals, construction workers, or semi-truck drivers. A person with great soft skills may work in an Amazon warehouse or a T-Mobile retail store. An outstanding server at your favorite restaurant or someone who provided you with over-the-top customer service could be the perfect fit for your open position. Depending on the role you are trying to fill, any number of these individuals could be viable candidates. Once you find the person, remember, the WIA has the Telecommunications Education Center (TEC) which is ‘ready to train the next generation of wireless professionals with skills needed for productivity, efficiency, and success.’
Good luck to you in your search and know that the “seasoned” professionals at WWLF are ready to support you with your diverse hiring initiatives. |
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All the best to you.
Beth Martindale
Vice President - WWLF |
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WIA Leadership Joins WWLF for State of the Industry Discussion Written by Kristen Beckman |
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Tim House and Matt Mandel of the Wireless Infrastructure Association joined the Women’s Wireless Leadership Forum in March for a webinar to discuss the latest trends in the wireless industry and their thoughts on what 2022 might bring for the ecosystem. They touched on the industry’s workforce needs and various initiatives to address education and apprenticeship, as well as the impact the monumental infrastructure funding bill signed last year could have on the industry.
House is Executive Vice President of WIA and leads WIA’s workforce development, meetings and events, and membership initiatives. Mandel is Senior Vice President, Government and Public Affairs. He oversees WIA’s outreach to federal, state, and local government officials regarding the need to accelerate the deployment of wireless infrastructure facilities and other issues that drive the wireless infrastructure industry’s legislative agenda.
House noted WIA is heavily invested in workforce development programs, including helping to found the Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program (TIRAP) in 2014. The Department of Labor registered program now includes 67 employers, more than 2,500 apprentices and 12 approved occupations. As a designated industry intermediary with DoL, WIA is contracted to expand apprenticeships in the industry with a focus on attracting underrepresented populations.
WIA also is working with a consortium of workforce-related organizations to build a Center of Excellence for apprenticeship and to improve strategic partnerships and systems. Finally, WIA created the Telecommunications Education Center (TEC) in 2016, which offers more than 35 educational courses that have been delivered more than 4,000 times during the past few years. House also highlighted a recent partnership WIA announced with Ohio State University to create 5G and telecom-related curriculum, a concept the association hopes to expand in an effort to reach young people in college, high school and earlier to inspire them to careers in telecommunications.
“I'm really proud and incredibly driven to transform our workforce through training and education,” said House. “I believe doing so will have an impact on poverty and unemployment and ultimately improve people's lives.” Read the full article on the WWLF website(Back to top) |
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WWLF Spotlight: Chrissy Robinson Vice President, Business Development, Metro RF and WWLF City Rep for Florida |
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How long have you been a City Rep for WWLF and what is your territory/region?
I have been a City Rep for three years. My territory is Florida. Why did you join WWLF?
I wanted to be part of an organization that kept women connected in the industry as well as offer an avenue to share experiences, contacts, and career opportunities. How has being a part of WWLF impacted you personally or professionally?
Being part of WWLF has given me a safe place to speak freely and benefit from a form of collective empathy and strength. With women, it is simply wonderful to be able to have meaningful conversations around the daily struggles that women are facing without having to justify your emotions or fears. It has been a great place to network and meet new people that can relate to experiences within the industry. What I love most about this group is the fabulous women and the diversity of thought. Where did you get your start in the industry? What is your current role?
I started in the industry in 2012 as a recruiter with a staffing company in Chicago. I then moved into a sales position in 2014 where I gained experience within the industry with different companies over the years which eventually led me into my current role as a VP of Business Development. Read the full interview on the WWLF website.
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Is 5G Going to Happen as Planned? Written by Leticia Latino-vanSplunteren |
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Fresh out of attending Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, a show I’ve attended for +20 years, I can’t help but reflect on how far the Wireless Industry has come. Being a Nortel Alum, I’ve always been intrigued with the actual technology and how the “communications magic” happens. Technology really wants to move at a faster pace than we can keep up with: Talks about 6G were happening all over the Conference, and we haven’t even fully yet experienced 5G yet. Sometimes I feel that our industry is on a mission to confuse us all!
I have lost count of how many times a non-telecom friend has asked me, almost with shame, to explain the whole “G’s” in SIMPLE terms, and here’s what I’ve come up with.
-1G: Purely Voice Communication,
-2G: 1G + Texts,
-3G: 2G + Web browsing,
-4G: 3G + Video Streaming,
-5G: 10 times faster speed than 4G! (Enabling virtual reality, robotics, and automation of almost everything you can imagine.)
When people learn that my family has been building Wireless Towers since 1972, there are two main comments associated with that: “can you please build a tower at XXXX, because the coverage there is really bad” OR “So, I guess you won’t sign a petition to prevent the buildout of such and such tower in our neighborhood?” It is truly crazy to see how we, humans, struggle with admitting that technology has already invaded the way we live. We have a love and hate relationship with it. We don’t want the tower, or the equipment in our neighborhood, but we expect to stream our favorite Netflix show while we wait at the doctor’s office. We can’t have our cake and eat it too.
Early on, one of the main challenges preventing a full speed 5G deployment was spectrum availability, but with the completion of the C-Band spectrum auction, where America’s largest carriers spent an unprecedented $93B one can be sure that any roadblocks to deployment will be cleared. Another challenge has been regulatory approval. I recently got a handful of calls to gauge my opinion when the FAA delaying 5G roll-out was all over the news. “Is 5G going to happen as planned?” I believe that the wireless industry is going above and beyond with its voluntary mitigation efforts to address the latest concerns brought by the FAA’s about aviation safety, and in fact, just very recently, the FAA issued an official statement that hints that all stakeholders are now working with a strong collaborative approach and that a resolution is on the horizon. Read the full article on the WWLF website
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Fellowship Application Extension |
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Calling on Fellowship Applicants!
The Women’s Wireless Leadership Forum (WWLF) is now accepting nominations for the 2022 Fellowship Program Award. The Fellowship Program aims to empower and inspire newer professionals to the telecommunications industry who strive for leadership development by using WWLF opportunities to support the individual’s growth. One recipient will be selected to receive the award, so nominate yourself or a peer today!
Benefits of Fellowship Award recipients include:
- Complimentary 1-year WWLF membership
- Invitation to participate in a WWLF committee
- Pairing with a mentor
- One on one Professional Coaching session
- All-expenses-paid trip to Connect(X) May 23-26, 2022 – Denver
- Featured on the WWLF website
And more
Last year’s recipient, April Gonzales: 2021 Fellowship Award Recipient
If you or someone you know has 5-years or less experience in the Wireless Industry and looking for a support organization to help you broaden your exposure and experience. Look no further, our Fellowship Program has supported many women accelerate their journey. With the Fellowship Program is a proven program to help you with your journey. We look forward to hearing from you…
Still time to submit your application through April 8, 2022
If you have any question, please reach out to programs@wwlf.org |
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2022 Mentoring Open Enrollment |
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Mentorship is at the heart of everything we do at WWLF. It is the collaboration and network of women that drive this program. Last year, we had 14 mentees and 14 mentors, making this our largest mentorship enrollment to date: 28 participants!
This program is an opportunity to learn, grow, and guide through the many areas of our industry with the collective support of WWLF Programs.
Each Mentee and Mentor pair meets on their own with supportive suggestions and guidelines. From there, the pairs will meet as a collective for bi-monthly check-in for the calendar year of 2022.
Do not miss this opportunity!
Mentoring 2022 Enrollment Now Open through April 29th
Mentee Application (PDF) (Word)
- Please return this form along with your resume to Kelsey Trundle at Programs@wwlf.org
Mentor Questionnaire (PDF) (Word)
- Please return this form along with your resume to Kelsey Trundle at Programs@wwlf.org
2022 Mentoring Program kick-off will be held via Zoom, Friday May 13th @11am EST |
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Are you a member of WWLF and attending the Connectivity Expo in Denver? Use promo code CX22WWLF to receive 20% off all pass types at the Connectivity Expo.
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Quarterly Event: Book Read!
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A NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER: MY LIFE IN FULL An intimate and powerful memoir by the trailblazing former CEO of PepsiCo. For a dozen years as one of the world’s most admired CEOs, Indra Nooyi redefined what it means to be an exceptional leader. The first woman of color and immigrant to run a Fortune 50 company — and one of the foremost strategic thinkers of our time — she transformed PepsiCo with a unique vision, a vigorous pursuit of excellence, and a deep sense of purpose. Now, in a rich memoir brimming with grace, grit, and good humor, My Life in Full offers a firsthand view of Nooyi’s legendary career and the sacrifices it so often demanded.
Nooyi takes us through the events that shaped her, from her childhood and early education in 1960s India, to the Yale School of Management, to her rise as a corporate consultant and strategist who soon ascended into the most senior executive ranks. The book offers an inside look at PepsiCo, and Nooyi’s thinking as she steered the iconic American company toward healthier products and reinvented its environmental profile, despite resistance at every turn.
For the first time and in raw detail, Nooyi also lays bare the difficulties that came with managing her demanding job with a growing family, and what she learned along the way. She makes a clear, actionable, urgent call for business and government to prioritize the care ecosystem, paid leave and work flexibility, and a convincing argument for how improving company and community support for young family builders will unleash the economy's full potential.
Generous, authoritative, and grounded in lived experience, My Life in Full is the story of an extraordinary leader's life, a moving tribute to the relationships that created it, and a blueprint for 21st century prosperity.
Registration closes on April 18, 2022 April 20, 2022
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM (CST)
Zoom link to be sent before the event |
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Monthly Networking Events!
WWLF Members Only |
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Please join WWLF for our Monthly Networking Event: Motivation and Mugs
The 1st Monday of every month.
Although times are getting somewhat back to normal, we are still not quite there yet.
So, let's come together and connect while enjoying our morning ritual of coffee, tea, lemon water or whatever your choice of drink!
During this Monday Motivation and Mugs, each attendee will have one minute to introduce themselves and talk about what they are looking for/needing during these times: job opportunities, connections, friendly support, etc..
May 2 , 2022
10:00 AM - 10:45 AM (EST)
Zoom link to be sent before the event
Registration closes the Friday before the event. |
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Thank you to our exclusive newsletter sponsor |
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Connect with WWLF
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WWLF is a proud affiliate of WIA
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Women's Wireless Leadership Forum C/O WIA
2111 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 210 Arlington, VA 22201
© 2022 Women’s Wireless Leadership Forum All Rights Reserved
WWLF is committed to creating an inclusive environment where diverse voices are welcome in all aspects of our organization. WWLF values the knowledge and perspectives that our members bring to our organization from their diverse backgrounds. While all members are welcome to participate in both regional and national events, WWLF remains committed to the design and delivery of content to support the development of women in the wireless communications industry. |
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