Is there an Openreach Engineer in the house?
Discussion
Just done the online assessment (and no doubt picked the 'potential psychopath in waiting' options) and was wondering if anyone already works for the company as an Engineer? I see the wages aren't as good as I thought they would be at around £20k. I'm making that in my call centre job at the moment if you include bonus. Is there much scope for improving on that or moving onwards? Not sure what happens next, I guess it depends on the results of the tests. What's it like day-to day? The call centre I work in I do have access to the Openreach website and hear from our customers but have never spoken to anyone at Openreach directly but most of the feedback I get from customers is missed appointments, miserable or rude engineers and a general low opinion of the company in general!
f
king useless wkers.
My internet cuts out every time it rains. Its ridiculous.
Three appointments, three half days off work specially, three no shows.
I refuse to waste more of my holiday so at the moment im just stuck with stty internet. Cant leave beacause I am 'in a contract' and it probably wouldnt help anyway because unless I go to Virgin (cable internet) all other providers will just use the BT phone line which is the thing that keeps cutting out. 
king useless wkers.My internet cuts out every time it rains. Its ridiculous.
Three appointments, three half days off work specially, three no shows.
I refuse to waste more of my holiday so at the moment im just stuck with s
tty internet. Cant leave beacause I am 'in a contract' and it probably wouldnt help anyway because unless I go to Virgin (cable internet) all other providers will just use the BT phone line which is the thing that keeps cutting out. If you think you can handle, working in the worst of the weather, freezing conditions, boiling hot vans and telephone exchanges, getting dirty, being confronted by spiders when you're up a pole and can't run away, being nagged at by your manager because your figures are below average, being nagged about statistics you have no control over, poor tools and shoddy training, getting abuse from customers about their crap broadband when they've chosen to live in the arse end of nowhere and the equipment you've been given can't see anything wrong with the line.
However, when the sun's shining and you're getting on okay, it's quite nice
I'd say there's not a lot of opportunity to climb the ladder
I heard that the latest contracts include performance related bonuses...
However, when the sun's shining and you're getting on okay, it's quite nice
I'd say there's not a lot of opportunity to climb the ladderI heard that the latest contracts include performance related bonuses...
Pooky67 said:
getting abuse from customers about their crap broadband when they've chosen to live in the arse end of nowhere and the equipment you've been given can't see anything wrong with the line.
This annoys me! It's 2014, everything is online now and within reason the whole country should have good, fast internet. If you're gonna trot out crappy excuses, knock some money off the bill or here's a thought, reinvest some of the profits in better infrastructure.BOBTEE said:
Pooky67 said:
getting abuse from customers about their crap broadband when they've chosen to live in the arse end of nowhere and the equipment you've been given can't see anything wrong with the line.
This annoys me! It's 2014, everything is online now and within reason the whole country should have good, fast internet. If you're gonna trot out crappy excuses, knock some money off the bill or here's a thought, reinvest some of the profits in better infrastructure.
When I heard about this, I was interested too. Ironically it was on the day I was supposed to have FTTC fitted, and the sub-contractor couldn't even find the dial tone on the D-side pair at the cabinet. Despite being a graduate with a fair few years "proper" electronic engineering experience, trade isn't wonderful and I have no wish to get a job driving an office desk.
It looked interesting right up to the bit where it says 17K a year, 22 days annual leave, and the van is for company work only (not that I'd ever want a van for private use, let alone a signwritten one with company car tax).
17K getting abuse from the public, working in all weathers and getting it in the ear from your manager. I can't imagine why they don't have enough people.
Still, I'd take it over working in a call centre and slowly turning into a Borg drone.
It looked interesting right up to the bit where it says 17K a year, 22 days annual leave, and the van is for company work only (not that I'd ever want a van for private use, let alone a signwritten one with company car tax).
17K getting abuse from the public, working in all weathers and getting it in the ear from your manager. I can't imagine why they don't have enough people.
Still, I'd take it over working in a call centre and slowly turning into a Borg drone.
Zad said:
When I heard about this, I was interested too. Ironically it was on the day I was supposed to have FTTC fitted, and the sub-contractor couldn't even find the dial tone on the D-side pair at the cabinet. Despite being a graduate with a fair few years "proper" electronic engineering experience, trade isn't wonderful and I have no wish to get a job driving an office desk.
It looked interesting right up to the bit where it says 17K a year, 22 days annual leave, and the van is for company work only (not that I'd ever want a van for private use, let alone a signwritten one with company car tax).
17K getting abuse from the public, working in all weathers and getting it in the ear from your manager. I can't imagine why they don't have enough people.
Still, I'd take it over working in a call centre and slowly turning into a Borg drone.
Hence my questioning about going beyond the engineering side of things.It looked interesting right up to the bit where it says 17K a year, 22 days annual leave, and the van is for company work only (not that I'd ever want a van for private use, let alone a signwritten one with company car tax).
17K getting abuse from the public, working in all weathers and getting it in the ear from your manager. I can't imagine why they don't have enough people.
Still, I'd take it over working in a call centre and slowly turning into a Borg drone.
Hmm interesting... Just applied and did their online assessment ... Had no idea the money was so bad... How can an engineer be on so little money?
That is not far off minimum wage I guess when you take in to account all the hours you would be working?
That is not far off minimum wage I guess when you take in to account all the hours you would be working?
Edited by Snapper7 on Monday 9th June 07:01
It may be different with BT direct but as far as I was aware, you are effectively self employed and paid by the number of calls you do.
You are responsible for the van as in you are leasing it from them and fueling it yourself etc and have to make the money back from the jobs you complete.
You are responsible for the van as in you are leasing it from them and fueling it yourself etc and have to make the money back from the jobs you complete.
Snapper7 said:
Hmm interesting... Just applied and did their online assessment ... Had no idea the money was so bad... How can an engineer be on so little money?
That is not far off minimum wage I guess when you take in to account all the hours you would be working?
How difficult a job do you think it is? These aren't the guys designing the network, or the equipment within it, just guys doing some straightforward wiring.That is not far off minimum wage I guess when you take in to account all the hours you would be working?
spikeyhead said:
Snapper7 said:
Hmm interesting... Just applied and did their online assessment ... Had no idea the money was so bad... How can an engineer be on so little money?
That is not far off minimum wage I guess when you take in to account all the hours you would be working?
How difficult a job do you think it is? These aren't the guys designing the network, or the equipment within it, just guys doing some straightforward wiring.That is not far off minimum wage I guess when you take in to account all the hours you would be working?
Ex open reach engineer here, up until 5ish years ago.
Starting salary is poor, but you'll reach the higher rate after 3 years. Overtime is usually available so the minimum you're looking at is 30k.
Job can be great. Union has negotiated the job rate down to 3 per day so you have time to do all your safety checks and no corners are cut.
Auditors are bds, too many joints that you haven't sealed properly, or get caught up a ladder without your harness done properly and you're on a PIP.
Management are bds. They take no responsibility for anything and will st on you from a great hight to save their own arses.
Suicide rates amongst engineers are surprisingly high, I have no idea why. I think it's the old school engineers that have been doing the job for 40 years and can't handle the way things are these days. One of the old fellas on my patch hanged himself in the local exchange.
Me? I loved the job. I was based on Anglesey so got to drive around the countryside and manage my time as I saw fit. Most days your work could be finished by lunchtime so you'd spend the afternoon in one of the exchanges drinking tea with your colleagues. Things may be different now as the vans have trackers.
Eta...all new engineers will be multi-skilled. You will be trained on installation, overhead wiring, and underground wiring. The training is superb and the work is varied. It can be technically challenging, but very satisfying when you find a fault on a 7 mile stretch of cable running through trees, across fields, under ground etc. the job will certainly keep you fit.
Starting salary is poor, but you'll reach the higher rate after 3 years. Overtime is usually available so the minimum you're looking at is 30k.
Job can be great. Union has negotiated the job rate down to 3 per day so you have time to do all your safety checks and no corners are cut.
Auditors are b
ds, too many joints that you haven't sealed properly, or get caught up a ladder without your harness done properly and you're on a PIP.Management are b
ds. They take no responsibility for anything and will st on you from a great hight to save their own arses.Suicide rates amongst engineers are surprisingly high, I have no idea why. I think it's the old school engineers that have been doing the job for 40 years and can't handle the way things are these days. One of the old fellas on my patch hanged himself in the local exchange.
Me? I loved the job. I was based on Anglesey so got to drive around the countryside and manage my time as I saw fit. Most days your work could be finished by lunchtime so you'd spend the afternoon in one of the exchanges drinking tea with your colleagues. Things may be different now as the vans have trackers.
Eta...all new engineers will be multi-skilled. You will be trained on installation, overhead wiring, and underground wiring. The training is superb and the work is varied. It can be technically challenging, but very satisfying when you find a fault on a 7 mile stretch of cable running through trees, across fields, under ground etc. the job will certainly keep you fit.
Edited by SlimRick on Monday 9th June 20:43
SlimRick said:
Ex open reach engineer here, up until 5ish years ago.
Starting salary is poor, but you'll reach the higher rate after 3 years. Overtime is usually available so the minimum you're looking at is 30k.
Job can be great. Union has negotiated the job rate down to 3 per day so you have time to do all your safety checks and no corners are cut.
Auditors are bds, too many joints that you haven't sealed properly, or get caught up a ladder without your harness done properly and you're on a PIP.
Management are bds. They take no responsibility for anything and will st on you from a great hight to save their own arses.
Suicide rates amongst engineers are surprisingly high, I have no idea why. I think it's the old school engineers that have been doing the job for 40 years and can't handle the way things are these days. One of the old fellas on my patch hanged himself in the local exchange.
Me? I loved the job. I was based on Anglesey so got to drive around the countryside and manage my time as I saw fit. Most days your work could be finished by lunchtime so you'd spend the afternoon in one of the exchanges drinking tea with your colleagues. Things may be different now as the vans have trackers.
Eta...all new engineers will be multi-skilled. You will be trained on installation, overhead wiring, and underground wiring. The training is superb and the work is varied. It can be technically challenging, but very satisfying when you find a fault on a 7 mile stretch of cable running through trees, across fields, under ground etc. the job will certainly keep you fit.
Thanks Rick, more what I was after.Starting salary is poor, but you'll reach the higher rate after 3 years. Overtime is usually available so the minimum you're looking at is 30k.
Job can be great. Union has negotiated the job rate down to 3 per day so you have time to do all your safety checks and no corners are cut.
Auditors are b
ds, too many joints that you haven't sealed properly, or get caught up a ladder without your harness done properly and you're on a PIP.Management are b
ds. They take no responsibility for anything and will st on you from a great hight to save their own arses.Suicide rates amongst engineers are surprisingly high, I have no idea why. I think it's the old school engineers that have been doing the job for 40 years and can't handle the way things are these days. One of the old fellas on my patch hanged himself in the local exchange.
Me? I loved the job. I was based on Anglesey so got to drive around the countryside and manage my time as I saw fit. Most days your work could be finished by lunchtime so you'd spend the afternoon in one of the exchanges drinking tea with your colleagues. Things may be different now as the vans have trackers.
Eta...all new engineers will be multi-skilled. You will be trained on installation, overhead wiring, and underground wiring. The training is superb and the work is varied. It can be technically challenging, but very satisfying when you find a fault on a 7 mile stretch of cable running through trees, across fields, under ground etc. the job will certainly keep you fit.
Edited by SlimRick on Monday 9th June 20:43
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