New chief executive spearheads drive for increased membership. benefits, activities for ICT industry’s independent professional body
Having celebrated its centenary in 2006, the ICT industry’s leading independent professional body, The Communications Network (TCN), has embarked upon a dynamic new growth strategy, developing a range of new benefits designed to increase both its corporate and individual membership.
Following a Strategic Review undertaken in collaboration with its key stakeholders, TCN has already started to put in place a number of initiatives to improve both professional and business development opportunities for its members.
“The goal in each case is to increase our appeal to a wider market, by enhancing the value of TCN membership,” confirms chairman, Lucy Woods. “In part, we plan to achieve this by improving the availability of information on latest industry trends and technologies through The Journal – the industry’s leading technical publication –and via the TCN website
“In addition, we are broadening the range of networking events, enhancing career development programmes and increasing industry exposure through highly targeted event participation and sponsorship.”
Rapidly-changing market
TCN has appointed Brendan O’Mahony as the new chief executive officer to spearhead this next phase of the organisation’s development. He brings with him over 20 years’ specialist telecoms experience, having worked in product and business development for such companies as Cable & Wireless, ICO Global Communications Ltd and Saudi Telecom.
His goal is to grow membership across communications companies – including traditional telecoms companies, cable providers and mobile operators – as well as ISPs, IT software providers, financial analysts, industry/trade associations and suppliers. “To achieve this,” says O’Mahony, “it is essential that we adapt to the requirements of a rapidly-changing industry and provide services that meet the evolving needs and concerns of our members.”
The Strategy Review highlighted, for example, the need for an industry-recognised accredited training scheme. “In response, we organised a series of events designed to help facilitate discussion among employers and award bodies about what the industry is looking for and how existing qualifications may be adapted in order to fill gaps in the market.
As a result of these meetings, TCN is working with Foundation Degree Forward (fdf) and e-skills UK to develop an industry-led work based Foundation Degree. The objective of the project is to design and develop a high quality National Information Communications Technology Foundation Degree, in association with a consortium of ICT/Telecoms employers and other sector stakeholders that is sector specific, innovative in its design and delivery and is aligned to the business needs of the consortium.
Current members of the TCN Foundation degree consortium include: BT Global Services, BT Openreach, EDS, Orange, NHS, Royal Signals, Royal Artillery and Vodafone.
“These key players clearly understand the need to better map industry needs against recognised academic qualifications and it is important that TCN is driving such exciting new initiatives which will benefit the whole industry,” confirms O’Mahony.
“With a century of experience and commitment of our loyal and dedicated membership, TCN is ideally positioned to deliver results that no other organisation can match,” he concludes.
