Pole Test Engineer Review

My role at Openreach is a Pole Tester. This role requires me to ensure safety of myself, the public and all engineers who operate on this overhead network. This requires me to make sure all relevant tests are carried out so that no decay has made any pole unsafe to operate on or become unsafe for the general public.

New skills developed are obviously those of the role i undertake on a daily basis to safely test poles and ensure those that are unsafe are removed or replaced in our network. (Road works guarding is one skill i have obtained for example) Previous skills of IT and organisation from previous office roles have helped me in my role, although i have had an exemption from a Maths element, i genuinely believe there should be some advancement through the NVQ for those who have 20 years office experience and can use email and internet...

The NVQ program i have completed today (work submitted December 20/January 21 early) was very straightforward for someone with my experience of 20 years in an office experience. However, i knew this was an apprentice role to begin with i just feel exemptions or fast-track options should be available for candidates who have my experience who are changing careers.

It was well organised and sign up was easy enough as well as the journey from start to finish. Going back to my previous point i feel areas could have been essentially reviewed one on one if assessors felt exemptions through experience were possible alongside other qualification exemptions. i.e. i have two ILM certificates in management and should be enough to show i can use an email, internet and powerpoint presentations.

I have received full support from day 1 to completion at anytime i required it. Questions have been answered and/or pointed in the right direction. It's been a straightforward course to complete so i have had minimal guidance but my assessor Ian Sherwood has always been on hand to respond and advise what was required.

The support i have received from my assessor has been very good and the attitude and general confidence in my ability to complete early did provide me with additional motivation to complete before the new year. Being in lockdown obviously helped me complete and get ahead early on so cannot complain.

I don't feel it has helped me perform any better. It's only because i already held 20 years experience in Finance that i had all my knowledge of emails, internet and system/microsoft packages already. If a new school leaver was completing this course i believe it may well support them from the start.

Due to lockdown in this pandemic there has not been any opportunity to do this. However further down the line of normality returning this might be something i look into. I do already have football teams/friends i play for and i attend the gym on a few occasions a week so i would have to see what different groups interested me to get involved in.

Yes

Excellent business to work for and i have seen nothing from my experience so far to believe other people would not thrive at Openreach as well. Benefits are very good and work life balance has been brilliant so far. My role allows me to be my own boss day to day and complete my work without any pressure

Refresh yourself on your maths, english and IT fundamentals before interview. Research the business as you normally would and be clear on Safety at work (Risk assessment process etc). Be prepared to be placed in an area of work if applying for an engineer role, not all roles, like mine are about installing equipment into peoples/companies properties. However i love my role as a Pole Tester, which i knew nothing about before joining Openreach.