Chief Engineer Team Fibre Engineer Review

My role involves being part of a team that work on new builds, older builds, roads, telephone exchanges, footway boxes, manholes, up on poles and many other weird and wonderful buildings. My primary skill is fibre jointing, for this we use the latest fibre splicer equipment to join two different fibres, also we work on cabling from different places/poles.

I have learnt new different hand rodding techniques, how to lift footway boxes and manhole covers using mechanical aids as well as manual handling techniques. How to correctly guard working areas. We have learnt also how to use different methods of cutting cable to allow for hand rodding when setting up new UG lines.

I enjoy working for Openreach because they invest so much into us as apprentices with all new equipment, in my case a 21 plate Ford transit hi top van. The state of the art facilties in Southampton provide everyone with a great place to learn and thrive throughout the apprenticeship.

The courses we have been on have been very structured with plenty of opportunities for practical as well as theory based work. There are several recap sessions and also options to learn in everyone’s best learning style which for me is practically. Also the trainers are friendly and provide great support when working on difficult topics.

Openreach provide support at all times through help lines, the employee assistance programme, a place called rehab works. There are on site co-ordinators that provide help where neccesary with training, classes but also through issues at home or even issues with other people in the company which I have not come across.

Openreach use learning home which allows me to keep track of what courses I’ve done and also which courses are upcoming. All trainers provide feedback on us and on areas in which we need to either work on or just expand are knowledge on, I do feel very supported.

My qualification takes what I do back to the bare bones, so I get to learn things that yes I may not use in my job role, but if I ever came across a situation where I was unaware, I may be able to find a solution without causing massive issues for others.

I play football on Thursday nights with other people that work for Openreach, I was playing with them before I even started working for Openreach through mutual connections. But now I am part of the company and love to play football it just adds to the excitement and team bond at Openreach.

Yes

Openreach is an ever expanding company with great morales and great customer feedback. I feel honoured to work for them and get to work with some very diverse clever and interesting people. Other people would benefit from this as no two days are the same and there will always be new things that happen while at work.

Make sure you are your best self, come prepared, research the company. Make sure that you know what it is that you aim to set out for. Make sure to make yourself known at the earliest opportunity and never let anybody tell you that you can’t, because with the right mindset anyone can.