Telecoms Field Operative (FTTP) Review

My role requires me to connect customers to their network through full fibre. This means I will be installing a new fibre cable from either a pole or underground to the customers property. Installing an ONT inside the customers home and connecting it with an internal cable to the external cable at a CSP.

I have learnt various new skills such as being able to safely check my equipment such as ladders and tetra kit. Being able to climb up telephone poles. Being able to connect a customer from a telephone pole to their homes. Being able to set up roadworks when required. Safely access the underground network. being able to connect a customer from the underground network to their homes.

I enjoy being able to learn new skills from my programme. A lot of skills like using hand tools, setting up ladders and thinking outside of the box have also helped my in my personal life. learning about how the network works and being able to understand how it work has also helped in my personal life.

The programme is organised well and has given me the ability and equipment I need to tackle my role. It has also given me access to information that will help me along my journey and also contact information to people when I need help. it also examples what needs to be done safely in a step by step programme.

I get a lot of support from my employer and there is always someone to turn to when in doubt. I have my patch lead and other patch leads in the team to turn to for help and advice. I have my patch manager that can help with the same thing and also my buddy for more personal help. Also there is a function on my jobs to ask for help during a particular job.

I get a lot of support from my training provider when working towards my qualification. I am in a small group so we can also ask plenty of questions when needed and even outside of our sessions I am also able to contact someone regarding my qualifications or other personal questions.

Having the qualification while doing my day-to-day role helps me work to the correct standards. things that I might have been unsure about or how to tackle usually appear during the programme so I am able to learn and understand what to do in those scenarios. it also gives me a better understanding about the overall industry as well.

I am not too sure about extra-curricular activities to get involved in at work. The main extra-curricular that I know of personally is live lectures around the industry. However I do know that the company provides it and I have access to them. I usually have other social activities I attend outside of work.

Yes

I think Openreach is a great company to work for because they are heavily focused on working safe so that you are able to get home safe. I also think that Openreach is a great company to work for because they allow their employees to progress in their career and get to choose which direction you want to go towards too.

The main advice I would give to others is to be open minded about the job because there are so many transferrable skills with the company so there is always a role for someone. You just have to be open about what skill sets you already have and Openreach will give you the rest.