TM Forum Community

Hi,
Many CSPs recognize the urgent AI skills gap, yet there is still no standardized framework for developing telecom AI talent.
At VNPT, we've drafted a 4-phase roadmap for network automation engineers – combining network fundamentals, AI/ML, and TMForum's Autonomous Networks levels.
I'd love to hear: how are other CSPs tackling this challenge, and do you see value in creating a shared competency model across the industry?

B&R
Nguyễn Ngọc Linh
VNPT
linhnn@vnpt.vn

Thanks for this Ngoc Linh Nguyen and @Alfred Anaya-Dubernard for the alert,

We are looking for people interested in building AI4X Tools to accelerate AI adoption and would be delighted in VNPT and other members would like to collaborate on your proposal which will feed into the reuseable AI Transformation Readiness Toolbox.

Please let me know your thoughts, or contact me, @Yvonne Kuimba, to discuss how you can participate in the AI4X collaboration on a Toolbox or a Playbook workstream

Hi,
Many CSPs recognize the urgent AI skills gap, yet there is still no standardized framework for developing telecom AI talent.
At VNPT, we've drafted a 4-phase roadmap for network automation engineers – combining network fundamentals, AI/ML, and TMForum's Autonomous Networks levels.
I'd love to hear: how are other CSPs tackling this challenge, and do you see value in creating a shared competency model across the industry?

B&R
Nguyễn Ngọc Linh
VNPT
linhnn@vnpt.vn

Hi @Yvonne Kuimba, Thanks for bringing this. I am interested on AI for Customer Care. Let me know how i can participate and contribute in this.

Thanks for this Ngoc Linh Nguyen and @Alfred Anaya-Dubernard for the alert,

We are looking for people interested in building AI4X Tools to accelerate AI adoption and would be delighted in VNPT and other members would like to collaborate on your proposal which will feed into the reuseable AI Transformation Readiness Toolbox.

Please let me know your thoughts, or contact me, @Yvonne Kuimba, to discuss how you can participate in the AI4X collaboration on a Toolbox or a Playbook workstream

Hi,
Many CSPs recognize the urgent AI skills gap, yet there is still no standardized framework for developing telecom AI talent.
At VNPT, we've drafted a 4-phase roadmap for network automation engineers – combining network fundamentals, AI/ML, and TMForum's Autonomous Networks levels.
I'd love to hear: how are other CSPs tackling this challenge, and do you see value in creating a shared competency model across the industry?

B&R
Nguyễn Ngọc Linh
VNPT
linhnn@vnpt.vn

Hi @Yvonne Kuimba, Thanks for bringing this. I am interested on AI for Customer Care. Let me know how i can participate and contribute in this.

Thanks for this Ngoc Linh Nguyen and @Alfred Anaya-Dubernard for the alert,

We are looking for people interested in building AI4X Tools to accelerate AI adoption and would be delighted in VNPT and other members would like to collaborate on your proposal which will feed into the reuseable AI Transformation Readiness Toolbox.

Please let me know your thoughts, or contact me, @Yvonne Kuimba, to discuss how you can participate in the AI4X collaboration on a Toolbox or a Playbook workstream

Hi,
Many CSPs recognize the urgent AI skills gap, yet there is still no standardized framework for developing telecom AI talent.
At VNPT, we've drafted a 4-phase roadmap for network automation engineers – combining network fundamentals, AI/ML, and TMForum's Autonomous Networks levels.
I'd love to hear: how are other CSPs tackling this challenge, and do you see value in creating a shared competency model across the industry?

B&R
Nguyễn Ngọc Linh
VNPT
linhnn@vnpt.vn

Hi @Yvonne Kuimba, Thanks for bringing this. I am interested on AI for Customer Care. Let me know how i can participate and contribute in this.

Thanks for this Ngoc Linh Nguyen and @Alfred Anaya-Dubernard for the alert,

We are looking for people interested in building AI4X Tools to accelerate AI adoption and would be delighted in VNPT and other members would like to collaborate on your proposal which will feed into the reuseable AI Transformation Readiness Toolbox.

Please let me know your thoughts, or contact me, @Yvonne Kuimba, to discuss how you can participate in the AI4X collaboration on a Toolbox or a Playbook workstream

Hi,
Many CSPs recognize the urgent AI skills gap, yet there is still no standardized framework for developing telecom AI talent.
At VNPT, we've drafted a 4-phase roadmap for network automation engineers – combining network fundamentals, AI/ML, and TMForum's Autonomous Networks levels.
I'd love to hear: how are other CSPs tackling this challenge, and do you see value in creating a shared competency model across the industry?

B&R
Nguyễn Ngọc Linh
VNPT
linhnn@vnpt.vn

Thanks @ajay awasthi,Naveen Kumar Baratam, Ngoc Linh Nguyen, and @Matthew Wade

Very interesting input and very pleased to note the interest in the AI4X project,

In order to ensure you receive the latest information via the project mailing list, please join the project here. 

Looking forward to building the teams for theses high value playbooks and Ngoc, if you would be interested in contributing your skills roadmap to the one of the transformation toolboxes for peer review when the time comes, that would be awesome.

Hi @Yvonne Kuimba, Thanks for bringing this. I am interested on AI for Customer Care. Let me know how i can participate and contribute in this.

Thanks for this Ngoc Linh Nguyen and @Alfred Anaya-Dubernard for the alert,

We are looking for people interested in building AI4X Tools to accelerate AI adoption and would be delighted in VNPT and other members would like to collaborate on your proposal which will feed into the reuseable AI Transformation Readiness Toolbox.

Please let me know your thoughts, or contact me, @Yvonne Kuimba, to discuss how you can participate in the AI4X collaboration on a Toolbox or a Playbook workstream

Hi,
Many CSPs recognize the urgent AI skills gap, yet there is still no standardized framework for developing telecom AI talent.
At VNPT, we've drafted a 4-phase roadmap for network automation engineers – combining network fundamentals, AI/ML, and TMForum's Autonomous Networks levels.
I'd love to hear: how are other CSPs tackling this challenge, and do you see value in creating a shared competency model across the industry?

B&R
Nguyễn Ngọc Linh
VNPT
linhnn@vnpt.vn

Thanks for this Ngoc Linh Nguyen and @Alfred Anaya-Dubernard for the alert,

We are looking for people interested in building AI4X Tools to accelerate AI adoption and would be delighted in VNPT and other members would like to collaborate on your proposal which will feed into the reuseable AI Transformation Readiness Toolbox.

Please let me know your thoughts, or contact me, @Yvonne Kuimba, to discuss how you can participate in the AI4X collaboration on a Toolbox or a Playbook workstream

Hi,
Many CSPs recognize the urgent AI skills gap, yet there is still no standardized framework for developing telecom AI talent.
At VNPT, we've drafted a 4-phase roadmap for network automation engineers – combining network fundamentals, AI/ML, and TMForum's Autonomous Networks levels.
I'd love to hear: how are other CSPs tackling this challenge, and do you see value in creating a shared competency model across the industry?

B&R
Nguyễn Ngọc Linh
VNPT
linhnn@vnpt.vn

Thank you, Yvonne, very much for your kind response and for pointing me to the AI4X collaboration initiative. I truly appreciate this opportunity.

I would be very interested to explore how VNPT's proposed roadmap could contribute to the AI4X Toolbox/Playbook, and I will be happy to connect with you @Yvonne Kuimba for further discussion.

For context, I am sharing below the full content of my original proposal on "Bridging the AI Skills Gap in Telecoms", which outlines both the challenges and VNPT's draft training roadmap for network automation engineers. I hope this can serve as input for the discussion and I look forward to feedback from the community.

Recently, I've been reviewing two recent reports – TMForum's "Building an AI strategy: telcos put the foundations in place" (Mar 2024) and the World Economic Forum's "Artificial Intelligence in Telecommunications" (Feb 2025). Both highlight the severe AI talent gap in telecoms:

CSPs struggle to compete with big tech companies in attracting and retaining AI/ML professionals.

The most common approaches today are reskilling/upskilling and alliances with partners, but there is no standardized framework yet for AI workforce development in telecoms.

The challenge:
While CSPs recognize AI/ML, automation, and data analytics as critical skill areas, most initiatives remain fragmented. Some telcos invest heavily in in-house programs (e.g., Deutsche Telekom, Verizon, Orange), while others rely on hyperscalers or outsourcing. However, there is still no common skills framework guiding the transition to an "AI-driven telco workforce."

Discussion questions:

How are other CSPs in this community structuring their AI workforce development programs?

Is TMForum considering an initiative to create a standardized skills/competency framework for AI and automation in telecoms?

Are there existing Catalyst projects or collaborative initiatives in this area that VNPT could join?

VNPT's contribution (proposed roadmap):
At VNPT, we have drafted a training roadmap for network automation engineers, designed to blend network automation + AI/ML + TMForum's Autonomous Networks (AN) framework.

Phase 1 (0–1 year): The Network Programmer – network fundamentals, Python, Linux, APIs, basic automation, introductory AI/ML for network data analysis.

Phase 2 (1–3 years): The Automation Implementer – NetDevOps, Infrastructure as Code, CI/CD, containerization, AI/ML for time-series data & NLP, basic MLOps.

Phase 3 (3–5 years): The System Architect – closed-loop automation, reinforcement learning, digital twins, advanced MLOps, AI governance, aiming for AN Level 4.

Phase 4 (5–10 years): The Autonomic Network Strategist – AI-native networks, federated learning, multi-agent systems, AN Level 5, end-to-end AI governance and strategy.

Each phase is aligned with TMForum frameworks (ODA, AN Levels, Open APIs, eTOM, SID) and international certifications (Cisco, Juniper, Kubernetes, TMForum Practitioner, AI/ML, TOGAF, etc.) to ensure both rigor and global compatibility.

Given that the TMForum and WEF reports are quite recent and mainly highlight the problem without offering a standardized solution, I believe this proposal could be a new and practical contribution.

I would greatly appreciate feedback from the community on:

Best practices for AI workforce development in telecoms.

Whether similar frameworks have already been proposed elsewhere.

How VNPT (and other CSPs) could collaborate within TMForum to shape a shared competency model for AI/automation.

Looking forward to your insights – thank you!

Thanks for this Ngoc Linh Nguyen and @Alfred Anaya-Dubernard for the alert,

We are looking for people interested in building AI4X Tools to accelerate AI adoption and would be delighted in VNPT and other members would like to collaborate on your proposal which will feed into the reuseable AI Transformation Readiness Toolbox.

Please let me know your thoughts, or contact me, @Yvonne Kuimba, to discuss how you can participate in the AI4X collaboration on a Toolbox or a Playbook workstream

Hi,
Many CSPs recognize the urgent AI skills gap, yet there is still no standardized framework for developing telecom AI talent.
At VNPT, we've drafted a 4-phase roadmap for network automation engineers – combining network fundamentals, AI/ML, and TMForum's Autonomous Networks levels.
I'd love to hear: how are other CSPs tackling this challenge, and do you see value in creating a shared competency model across the industry?

B&R
Nguyễn Ngọc Linh
VNPT
linhnn@vnpt.vn

Hi,
Many CSPs recognize the urgent AI skills gap, yet there is still no standardized framework for developing telecom AI talent.
At VNPT, we've drafted a 4-phase roadmap for network automation engineers – combining network fundamentals, AI/ML, and TMForum's Autonomous Networks levels.
I'd love to hear: how are other CSPs tackling this challenge, and do you see value in creating a shared competency model across the industry?

B&R
Nguyễn Ngọc Linh
VNPT
linhnn@vnpt.vn

Hi,
Many CSPs recognize the urgent AI skills gap, yet there is still no standardized framework for developing telecom AI talent.
At VNPT, we've drafted a 4-phase roadmap for network automation engineers – combining network fundamentals, AI/ML, and TMForum's Autonomous Networks levels.
I'd love to hear: how are other CSPs tackling this challenge, and do you see value in creating a shared competency model across the industry?

B&R
Nguyễn Ngọc Linh
VNPT
linhnn@vnpt.vn

Great topic! The AI skills gap is definitely one of the biggest challenges for telecoms right now. In my experience, the most effective practices include combining formal training with hands-on project exposure, building internal knowledge-sharing groups, and partnering with universities or industry bodies for specialized programs. VNPT's roadmap sounds promising would be great to see more details on how they plan to balance technical upskilling with organizational change management.

Hi,
Many CSPs recognize the urgent AI skills gap, yet there is still no standardized framework for developing telecom AI talent.
At VNPT, we've drafted a 4-phase roadmap for network automation engineers – combining network fundamentals, AI/ML, and TMForum's Autonomous Networks levels.
I'd love to hear: how are other CSPs tackling this challenge, and do you see value in creating a shared competency model across the industry?

B&R
Nguyễn Ngọc Linh
VNPT
linhnn@vnpt.vn

Hi,
Many CSPs recognize the urgent AI skills gap, yet there is still no standardized framework for developing telecom AI talent.
At VNPT, we've drafted a 4-phase roadmap for network automation engineers – combining network fundamentals, AI/ML, and TMForum's Autonomous Networks levels.
I'd love to hear: how are other CSPs tackling this challenge, and do you see value in creating a shared competency model across the industry?

B&R
Nguyễn Ngọc Linh
VNPT
linhnn@vnpt.vn

Hi,
Many CSPs recognize the urgent AI skills gap, yet there is still no standardized framework for developing telecom AI talent.
At VNPT, we've drafted a 4-phase roadmap for network automation engineers – combining network fundamentals, AI/ML, and TMForum's Autonomous Networks levels.
I'd love to hear: how are other CSPs tackling this challenge, and do you see value in creating a shared competency model across the industry?

B&R
Nguyễn Ngọc Linh
VNPT
linhnn@vnpt.vn