Trainee Engineer Review

My role is to install fibre within the telecommunications infrastructure, to include working in the underground network, or overhead. Working within end users homes installing equipment, or finding faults where applicable.

All skills around engineering, installation and working within the network are new skills due to having a completely different background from before. Areas such as customer service, understanding of regulations around GDPR, employment law and using systems are all known.

I enjoy using my hands, learning about the network and the ways it works. I would like to go further back and understand more that just the CBT to the ONT. I would have liked more time with someone supporting me in areas such as drilling, what to look for and where to drill when the Bosch locator is flashing.

I would prefer it to be faster in completion or let those who are able move through the programme faster. The job is a 'hands on' role and having more opportunities to buddy up would have been useful. I appreciate it is also impossible to teach 'everything' in the role

I have told I will receive some support around drilling, but that is yet to happen. I put in a verbal request around 3 weeks ago and a request via the HR system one week ago. It would be nice to give apprentices more opportunities to be supported rather than worrying about the workstack.

It is still early days, my assessor is happy for me to just upload written work and evidence when I like. We have had one 1:1 session where we were able to talk about concerns and worries, which I felt was really beneficial. Having more of those opportunities would be great and Im sure they are due to happen

Only having one lesson, I am not sure yet. The lesson was more an introduction to the standards and what we should expect over the 1 year - 18 months. I look forward to seeing what the lessons and the lesson structure brings to my role and out in the field.

I don't think this is a thing? I have asked around and been told that it doesn't happen for people like me; a new recruit. Even though COVID is a huge factor I have been told there still isn't events like this - things such as the team is too big, employees live too far apart and we all work different hours so it wouldn't be logical. I have even asked to take on additional responsibilities but told New recruits can not do such things.

No

The feeling of being just a number, not being considered for opportunities based on my time within the business and not my abilities. Upsetting team members because I have a desire to grow and excel in my role, so completing too many jobs or doing extra work or taking on CBTs via learning home, seems to go against the grain and get you noticed for the wrong reasons.

That you do not have a choice what role you are given, roles aren't given by any clear reasoning. On my first week training at Yarnfield I met people who were given chief engineer roles who have never done anything like this before. I would have liked to have the same opportunities as I hold qualifications higher than this apprenticeship and skills such as management that could be better used elsewhere. During the interview I was told I could speed through my qualification if I wanted, turns out; I can't. I honestly believe the role I was given was due to my gender and the imagine Openreach are trying to stride for