This new govnt fund into superfast broadband!

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hey all, been a while!

Your thoughts on this please...
I have seen a job advertised in relation to the recent announcement by the government in installing fibre optic and copper network infrastructure in various areas in the uk.

It sounds like a really good job with full training provided. My question is, how well would this fit in with my current plans of becoming a network admin/engineer?

Of course, it would give good grounding in handling fibre etc etc.. but does a network engineer generally get involved in administering equipment as well as installing it? I presume it would be great skills to have, but am unsure how it would fit into my plans, I am currently a bog standard support analyst in an IT based job, but this current role is never going to give me exposure to networking/admin/infrastructure as it stands.

What I am getting at, is does your average network person deal with cabling, and all the other type of installing of equipment that the role I mentioned would give me exposure to?

Thanks guys

Steveo

 

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Hi Steveo

Just my thoughts....

Depends on how soon you want to be a systems admin.

If you believe your current job has nothing to offer and if this installation job checks out ok (not a 5 minute temp job, or actually digging up the road etc..), I'd say go for it. There are a million and one IT support people out there, when interviewing for a systems admin your next employer may see it as an added extra that you have insider knowledge of the governments new superfast broadband service and that you can set up the fibre optics.

...but on the other hand...

If there is any chance you can take on extra responsibility or somehow demonstrate skills or knowledge relating to switches, networks, servers, active directory or group policy then stay where you are and keep chipping away until someone notices that you can do the job that’s about to become available (possibly)...

 

You could of course be digging holes across the coutryside...

 

True!

I'm wondering also, how many manholes you'd have to get stuck in or poles you would have to climb? lol!

Mmmmmm!?

Cheers for input guys, maybe it is a flash in the pan so to speak. I always get these bright ideas and maybe this time its not as bright as I'm thinking!
Also, i'm thinking its contract work?

 

If you are talking about the Job being advertised by the agency Hayes all over the UK right now, it is a climbing up poles and getting stuck down manholes job!

I applied, over half the telephone interview was about having experince with building site style health and safety and use of personal protection equipment.

I decline a face to face interview

Mat

 

Ah haaa! Thought so! Cheers bud, not the sort of thing I should be doing, ahh well.

Shame it couldnt have been less like a building job, and more about connecting equipment together

 

While on the subject...

 

Great pic

I had a feeling that you'd be digging holes or climbing poles, best to stay where you are...

...although annoyingly....

...digging holes and climbing poles pays a lot more than a lot of ICT roles in my part of the country even systems admin .

 

It is not exactly that, however they might recruit for that as well. I am on contract through Hays, and as far I as I see it they are taking people on to work in exchanges (that's what I do) so that perm guys can work on the fiber project. Maybe after a while (not a few weeks) you could get involved with that. I don't think it would happen while you are contracting, rather after BT would take you on perm. They have had people through Hays before and lots of them work for BT directly now, rumor has it that's what's going to happen with us now.

they are very serious about Health and Safety, PPE etc. Just so if anything happens they can prove it it is your fault

haven't been there long so can't tell if it is a good way to go, working for BT has its perks but it has pretty much nothing to do with IT. spoke to one guy who had been working with Cisco eq (afaik they don't use it much anymore) and he said "working with cisco is piece of p**s - just install, copy and paste config" ...

okaay...

 

I was afraid some of his wisdom would transfer through my arm...

 

Thats why you always hit 'em with a clue-by-four rather than your hand

Mat

 

is it the Customer Service Engineer roles being advertised at the moment?

there is a bit thats says 'Ability to work at height and in confined spaces' !!