Home Service Engineer Review

I am a home service engineer, my role involves installing Sky TV into customers homes, as well as servicing existing Sky TV systems. This involves working at heights, installing satellite dishes and cables, as well as installing TV boxes in customers homes. There is lots of problem solving involved in installing as well as servicing the systems.

Yes I have learned how to install various television systems, as well as how to troubleshoot issues with existing systems. This includes learning to work at heights, as well as using the tools and equipment Sky provide to install the systems. I have also learned a variety of knowledge on how internet and broadband works inside homes.

I enjoyed the time with my mentor massively but since beginning to work on my own I have enjoyed the job less. This is mainly due to the pressure to complete all my jobs as well as the lack of colleagues to speak to, as this is a remote role I spend the majority of my time alone.

There was a lack of clarity about what the program would entail, I accepted the role understanding it was a 12 month program but after starting I was told it was in fact 18 months long. The coursework side has been disorganised throughout, with very little support or training from Outsource.

Sky have been very supportive throughout, but they have been focused on the physical work rather than the academic stuff. Nobody knew much about what the course included or what was expected of me to gain my qualification. This was the first year level 3 had been offered and it felt as if no one knew anything about it

I received very little support from Outsource, over the space of 18 months I had 4 different coaches. Each one told me different things about the course but I did not find out what exactly I needed to do to pass until the final coach. I was told you write a learning log and upload it every month and it was over a year into the course before I was told I had been doing it incorrectly, which shows me that nobody had bothered to read it until then. They also provided very little training, the majority of the work I completed was reading workbooks from the apprentix website.

I do not believe my qualification has had much of an effect of my performance as all my useful training came from my Sky mentor rather than the training provider. As almost all the work I competed was just reading workbooks on my own and then filling them out I feel like I did not take much useful information away from this.

As far as I am aware there are no such activities. The only thing resembling that was the chance to help out with Age UK at a Christmas party for elderly people. That was a nice experience as it felt good to help out with elderly people In the community.

Yes

The pay is good and there are lots of perks for working at the company such as free Sky TV. I would however warn them that the home service engineer role can be a lonely one and the long days can be very tiring. Overall I’ve had a positive experience though.

Make sure you listen to your mentor while you have them, and don’t feel like you have to always rush. Also be prepared to be working on your own a lot and dealing with customers by yourself all day. Also follow all the health and safety when working at heights!