Openreach engineer

Author
Discussion

chriz1

Original Poster:

654 posts

214 months

Wednesday 25th April 2018
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Hi,
Anyone here work for Openreach? As a field engineer
I’ve passed a few stages of Openreach interviews and have an assessment day next week,
The job looks attractive to me own basically own boss, field based, good training etc..
But what’s it really like ?
Anyone here have an insight?

dai1983

2,902 posts

148 months

Thursday 26th April 2018
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My friend now does it after leaving the military. He enjoys it but has the following mainly due to him working in a rural area:

-has to set off really early due to having to cover a large and sparsely populated area.

-when setting a connection up he has to phone in using his mobile. Rural = no/bad phone signal.

He also says that the training was pretty rubbish and didn’t set you up well for the job. There’s two training centres you attend and the first one didn’t teach them properly so they were on the back foot going to the second.

C0ffin D0dger

3,440 posts

144 months

Thursday 26th April 2018
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Engineer rolleyes

browntrout

13 posts

81 months

Saturday 28th April 2018
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I work for them the job isn’t what it used to be but it can be a useful foot in door for something else.
Openreachengineer.net has some useful info

chriz1

Original Poster:

654 posts

214 months

Sunday 29th April 2018
quotequote all
browntrout said:
I work for them the job isn’t what it used to be but it can be a useful foot in door for something else.
Openreachengineer.net has some useful info
I have emailed a few questions thanks

Connectors

226 posts

88 months

Sunday 29th April 2018
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Good luck OP, a friend of mine has done it for many years, as mentioned it’s not what it used to be but if you’re any good at it you’ll end up doing some very interesting stuff.

C0ffin D0dger said:
Engineer rolleyes
rolleyes HTH https://www.engc.org.uk/glossary-faqs/frequently-a...

chriz1

Original Poster:

654 posts

214 months

Sunday 29th April 2018
quotequote all
Thanks it appeals to me as my current job is outdoors and love working outside in all weathers doesn’t bother me and the freedom of working from your van each day, but we will see

SlimRick

2,258 posts

164 months

Thursday 3rd May 2018
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As others have said, it's not the job it used to be.

Vans all have trackers now, so no more sitting in the local exchanges drinking tea for hours on end.
Management are not great, and are not supportive of the engineers at all.
Auditors are out to get you - forget to seal a joint correctly and you're on a PIP.
Too many PIPs and you're out on your arse.

On the plus sides:
You work with a great bunch of people who have all been in the same boat and are usually willing to lend a hand.
The training is actually quite good, and a great laugh if you're on the residential course.
Free tools! Never short of the tool you need for those DIY jobs at home.

I did the job for 4 years in North Wales and loved it. Out and about in your van, driving along the coast, walking routes through woods following the cables...beats being sat in an office!