Associate Network Engineer / Delivery, Support and Operations Apprentice Review

My role is to oversee the wifi core of the customers we provide free customer wifi too. We monitor the health and connectivity of routers, access points and switches and carry out necessary checks and precautions on them. IN some instances, we can fix issues remotely or in others, will contact a site and see if they can solve the issue, or raise an engineer to go to site and then guide them through solving the issue.

Plenty! I've learnt new computing skills to work with the programs we use within our team. I've also developed my communication skills in terms of talking to customers as well as engineers. I've also developed skills to work individually as well as cooperatively with other members of the WiFi NOC.

Its an experience like no other! I'm part of a global company and within a few weeks I was integrated as being an established part of my team, instead of just being a side piece. It's great to learn off of different people from different rangers of ability and background and using their different techniques to develop an all round game to become effective on my team.

The initial start to the apprenticeship was quite slow and boring as we had to wait for accesses to come through for our certain platforms so that we could begin working but after this small period, it's very fast paced and challenging, forcing you to think quickly and effectively to benefit yourself as well as your work colleagues around you. The rotations are good as it allows you to get a taster of every platform then you can assimilate into a platform of your choice.

Loads! My manager always supports me, allowing me to try out new ideas and attend events and experience to help further myself and my company. Monthly 1-2-1 meetings allow me to express my true emotions and feelings as well as them to be challenged and increase my understanding. I can always go to my manager for any kind of support.

We get given one full study day a week within BT working hours to get some work done. We also have the ability to talk to 2nd, 3rd or 4th year apprentices, as well as recent graduates of the same course for support and help. We also have apprentice coaches, which are beneficial when wanting to talk about work and cooperate together to get the best possible experience of the course.

At the moment, I don't really notice much of a link because of only being at university less than a month at the time of this survey, but from word of other apprentices further into the scheme, they say there are a lot of links and bonds between lectures, seminars and lab work compared to my job role, so am excited to see these links and see where it will take me with my job role.

Yes there are, there are plenty of facilities at our site that allow us to participate in sports such as a sports hall, a gym, tennis courts, football pitch etc. there are also opportunities to organise and run events outside of BT itself for its employees. Each employee gets 3 volunteering days a year so these are very beneficial for attending events to further yourself and others, as well as BT as a whole.

Yes

Because it is an amazing experience with a high-performing and thriving organisation that is globally recognised and the opportunities are endless as well as there being so many places to go within the company. There is also the mantra of having the ability to go to university, which is paid for, earn a degree, which is paid for, and you have no student debt to pay back as well as earning a competitive salary with hefty other bonuses alongside it. The grade boundaries are also more achievable to get onto the scheme compared to most degrees.

Just be yourself. BT employ you based on your employability skills so showing those off, really is crucial. It is really helpful to do research before interviews and assessments as it then shows you have an interest within the company and more likely to be considered for the role. The interviews are quite challenging but are very beneficial in terms of long run attributes and characteristics you display throughout your career.