Cabling engineer Review
at BT Group
Level 2 Apprenticeship
Engineering
Shrewsbury
Review Submitted: April 2021
Overall Rating
4.8 /5
The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!
4.5/5
-
Overview of Role
5/5
-
Skills Development
4.8/5
-
Structure and Support
Overview of Role
Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
5/5
As A cabler, my role involves me receiving jobs to introduce spines, CBTS, Lead in's and also playing a role in helping find solutions to jobs that require civil avoidance. Spines are a route that laid for big estates to be planned from. Agg nodes are built off the spines and from there splitters are built so CBTs can be run. Lead in's are the cable from customers houses to the CBT. All this involves a team of engineers surveying the route, checking boxes or manholes along the route to see which is the best route available to get the cables in the ducts. We use trailers to tow the drums of fibre cable, blowing machines to install the cable into subduct and we also use an overblow machine.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
4/5
I enjoyed the programme very much. I must say, it does seem very daunting at first because there seems to be so much to do. The programme is ideally to be completed in 12 months. The instructors were brilliant, you could contact them anytime and they were always willing to help. Also, as you are in a group, we also tried to help each other if we could.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
5/5
Yes! I have acquired new skills, these include, cabling techniques using various rods. These can be 2 or 3 meter rods that screw together to the put in to a duct or a reel of continuous rod that is called a cobra. I have also have the installing fibre cable skill using a blowing machine. The latest skill I have is, using a jetting machine. This is a machine that is used to clear dirt and rubble in our ducts. This is done by inserting a hose into the ducts and water is used at high power to then clean the ducts.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
5/5
The programme was ideally to be completed within 12 months. This started by a week long induction, followed by three weeks of training at a training center. When we attended our first NVQ day, the instructor explained what was to be completed and he also organised the programme to be completed in a way that would be beneficial to us. We were given a time line of what was required of us to complete certain modules within certain timelines.
Overall the programme was very well structured and organised
Overall the programme was very well structured and organised
How much support do you receive from your employer?
5/5
My employer was very supportive. This was not a surprise as it was a requirement of the employees to pass the NVQ by the end of the 12 months. If I needed any support, I would always find my manager was very supportive and he always would find skills that would be beneficial to me and the company to be completed.
If I had any problems or if I had questions, my colleagues were more than approachable and very helpful.
If I had any problems or if I had questions, my colleagues were more than approachable and very helpful.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
5/5
When I was working through the apprenticeship, being either regular training from the training centre or if it was on any of the NVQ days. The tutors were always friendly, very knowledgeable and very helpful.
If there were any problems, they always helped in a way that the candidates could always find the answers themselves. An example, if a candidate was struggling with a question to be answered, they would point them in the direction of either webpages to look at or tell them to look in certain books. The attitude was always brilliant and tutors were always willing to help.
If there were any problems, they always helped in a way that the candidates could always find the answers themselves. An example, if a candidate was struggling with a question to be answered, they would point them in the direction of either webpages to look at or tell them to look in certain books. The attitude was always brilliant and tutors were always willing to help.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
5/5
well the obvious answer to this question is, If I or any other candidate didn't have this qualification, we wouldn't be in our roles!
We went through intense training on different things that we do day to day. Although I can do my job very well, there are some days that I will delve back to my folders if I have a query of part of the job.
After going through the 12 month training period and learning various different skills, it really comes into its own when you get hands on in the role. Whilst being in the classroom is where you learn all the theory, it's on the tools that brings the knowledge out and into practice.
After completing the qualification, this has made me more confident in the role I do and I have a career pathway I want to follow.
The qualification has also given me more insight into the company and the industry as a whole.
We went through intense training on different things that we do day to day. Although I can do my job very well, there are some days that I will delve back to my folders if I have a query of part of the job.
After going through the 12 month training period and learning various different skills, it really comes into its own when you get hands on in the role. Whilst being in the classroom is where you learn all the theory, it's on the tools that brings the knowledge out and into practice.
After completing the qualification, this has made me more confident in the role I do and I have a career pathway I want to follow.
The qualification has also given me more insight into the company and the industry as a whole.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
4/5
There are no sports teams around in my area to get involved in. We do have regular meetings and when these happen, we always get the team together to come up with something to get all the team involved in. This has been a football tournament, bowling, Kart racing or just going out for a drink.
I have been keen to seek out colleagues who share the same interests as myself, be it golf, football, darts or dominoes, so I can get to know my colleagues better.
I have been keen to seek out colleagues who share the same interests as myself, be it golf, football, darts or dominoes, so I can get to know my colleagues better.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend BT Group to a friend?
Yes
Why?
It is a very good company to work for. There is plenty of opportunity to further your career. They keep all employees up to date on training. The community through the workers is brilliant and everyone is always willing to help each other. They invest in you, they want you to succeed and be successful in your career.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to BT Group?
From the early application process it seemed quite daunting! A video interview is required at first, this seems fine, but there is nobody on the other end, it's just questions that appear on screen and you are to answer them. My advice to anyone who is applying would be, keep calm. be yourself and answer honestly.
At the assessment day I would tell any candidate to wear a tie! Do your homework on the company, and I mean do your homework! Study up on everything, from the CEO of both openreach and BT, how and why Openreach was formed and study up on what the various roles are in the company. This will bear fruit in the interview.
I would tell wannabe employees all about the company, it's various roles and chances of progressing including what you need to do to further your career.
when I applied, I did all my own research into the company, I have a friend who also works here, I did pick his brains on the whole process. I did this to make sure that I was sure I wanted to work for Openreach and not have any second thoughts.
At the assessment day I would tell any candidate to wear a tie! Do your homework on the company, and I mean do your homework! Study up on everything, from the CEO of both openreach and BT, how and why Openreach was formed and study up on what the various roles are in the company. This will bear fruit in the interview.
I would tell wannabe employees all about the company, it's various roles and chances of progressing including what you need to do to further your career.
when I applied, I did all my own research into the company, I have a friend who also works here, I did pick his brains on the whole process. I did this to make sure that I was sure I wanted to work for Openreach and not have any second thoughts.
