ISE Magazine, August 2019

AUGUST 2019 WWW ISEMAG COM 39 ISE EXPO 2019 George Karatzis Director of Fiber Access Engineering Topic WHEN I GROW UP How did you find your career in the ICT telecom industry Karatzis My career began at age 19 when I enlisted in the Air Force I didnt have a college degree at the time and my vision was less than perfect So flying planes was out Fortunately I demonstrated a strong vocational aptitude towards engineering and my recruiter pointed me in the direction of telecommunications That started my love affair with technology and was foundational for me from a leadership development perspective I found my way to Verizon 19 years ago and havent looked back since I am very fortunate to work for a company that has supported my growth as a technologist and business leader Topic YOUR ROLE Whats the most challenging thing about your role and what is the most gratifying What is the greatest thing youve learned thus far and how do you plan to move the needle in your position this year Karatzis My current role in Fiber Access Engineering has been the greatest challenge of my career and is also the most rewarding The scope and pace of Verizons fiber densification program is ambitious and unlike anything I have tackled before My leadership problem solving and relationship building skills are put to the test daily While its not always easy I feel like Ive grown in this role Its also extremely gratifying to know that I am part of a talented team that is leaving our thumbprint on the early foundations of the fourth industrial revolution The most important action that I can take to help move the needle this year is to continue building strong and mutually beneficial relationships with cities Its a win win if we can accelerate our fiber optic deployments and bring next generation technologies such as 5G to their communities more quickly Topic THE FUTURE What emerging or disruptive technology excites you the most for the future of the ICT industry Karatzis The evolution to Software Defined Networking SDN and Network Functions Virtualization NFV are already underway in the ICT industry I think the most exciting aspect is the business transformation that ensues As carriers transform legacy networks to these architectures new business capabilities will be developed as well Creating more efficient networks decoupling hardware and software and unlocking automation opportunities will help drive down costs and improve time to market Customers will ultimately benefit as carriers are able to respond more quickly to shifts in technology and new innovations Topic KEEPING UP By 2020 77 of jobs will require technology skills Describe the ideal skills current telecom employees should learn to keep up How can they go about doing that while working full time Karatzis Its critical to stay relevant regardless of your particular discipline Intellectual curiosity and the willingness to take some calculated risks are essential for thriving in our environment So the best advice I can give is to stay current on both technology and business trends by reading attending industry forums and staying connected to a diverse peer network Keep looking into the horizon and ask yourself if your current skill set will be as relevant and valuable in the future If not its time to pivot Technology is constantly evolving so we have to evolve ourselves as well Never stop investing in yourself