Telstra outsourcing affects big clients Technical expert roles targeted for job cuts may come from teams assigned to look after the complex computer networks of NAB, Qantas and Westpac. Some of Telstra's biggest blue chip customers - including National Australia Bank, Qantas and Westpac - will see critical support operations performed out of India if the telco pushes ahead with plans to outsource jobs there. Telstra said yesterday it was considering plans to cut up to 170 full-time local jobs and outsource jobs to India as part of sweeping changes to the company's operations. Media were told the job losses would occur in the company's back-office. But documents obtained by Fairfax Media show some of the technical expert and specialist roles that will be targeted in the round of job cuts, if the plan goes ahead, will come from teams assigned to look after the complex computer networks of National Australia Bank, Qantas and Westpac. The document called "The NA&S Global Delivery Model," was distributed to Telstra staff on Tuesday. Telstra was not immediately available to comment. It is understood that some of these positions are dedicated support positions that provide critical technical support in the event of network faults. The documents also show that 12 trainee contractors working in Telstra's South Australian operations would lose their jobs if the plan goes ahead. The job cuts - which will be spread throughout the country - will begin from October and take up to a year to complete. The news follows an announcement in May that Telstra would also reorganise its operational activities, in changes expected to affect about half of the company's 30,000-strong domestic workforce. Telstra's David Burns said the restructure and job cuts would affect the company's Network Applications and Services unit (NAS), which provides customers in government and business with products and network services including security, cloud computing and video conferencing. "Telstra's been reducing its staffing literally for years, and another group of 170 - and I don't mean to make light of it - but it's just the latest instalment," he said.