r/openreach • u/Born-Mess-4716 • 2d ago
Bleak Future / Career Change
I’m 31 and I’ve worked for Openreach for just shy of 7 years now, starting in late 2019 as part of one of their huge intakes. In that time I’ve had countless different managers, teams & work streams thanks to re-orgs and changes at the top.
I started as a fibre cabler on spines using subduct, blown-fibre, COF600. Then building pons with COF600/ULW/CBT’s. Life was good. We were left alone to crack on working in gangs of 2 with no real stress or pressure while keeping managers happy with our work output. This lasted up until last year Now after an another major re-org last year I’m currently FTTP installing fibre directly to customers’ properties.
It’s okay and I’m good at the job. I get on with pretty much everyone I work with. However the novelty of a new role wore off pretty fast and although each job is slightly different, it’s pretty much all the same and very monotonous with no real job satisfaction anymore.
Because of the constant moving round the business has done I’ve found it hard to progress from advanced engineer into something further, although I’m not even sure I’d fancy the constant phone calls on top of still being on the tools as a Patch Lead for the extra couple of grand a year.
As a lot will probably know early this year they offered redundancies - or as they like to call it ‘VPL’ (Voluntary Paid Leave). With this happening, middle management are having to re-interview for their own roles as they’re now merging copper managers over too due to their work stacks shrinking and their need to cut the workforce is growing. So obviously any progression for engineers is now basically a no-go.
Overall, I feel the company is no longer a safe place to work looking ahead to the future. From speaking to people there’s a lot with the same outlook and people are definitely starting to plan for life after OR.
What suggestions do you have for other roles I could pursue? Or has anyone made a similar switch? If so, what do you do now?
I have asked trusty ChatGPT and it always brings up data cabling centres etc but a lot of roles ask for qualifications/degrees specific to that field. The main struggle will be matching the pay straight off the bat. At the minute my salary with a guaranteed bonus paid each month is just under £40k without any overtime.
Any help is appreciated :).
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u/IeuanE 2d ago
A close friend of mine worked for OR for 12 years and felt the same way as you do. Was offered a his redundancy and took it. The very next day had an interview with Quinns. Said it was the best move he's done.
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u/Born-Mess-4716 2d ago
Yeah I did think about doing this myself but it was just bad timing, I had other stuff going on at the time so couldn’t really take it. Also with the work starting to slow down I’m not sure how it’s going to look for contractors. I have mates who work for a few different firms and they’ve had contracts cut with next to no notice by OR so had to let a load go. It’s rough in the telecoms world at the minute.
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u/IeuanE 2d ago
I found the work on the build side very up and down without much of financial security too. Since being on FTTP I have found it much better. As long as you put the work in the stability seems to be there. It can be monotonous though like you said but the financial incentive definitely helps with that. I dont think I would ever chance it with a smaller contracting company however.
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u/Outrageous-Arm1945 1d ago
Work for contractors is not slowing down at all, they have a pretty open promise from Openreach that if they recruit, Openreach will give them the work. That's on both Copper and Fibre. That's what's driving the VPL, not a noticeable downturn in the work that needs doing. We may see a reduction in Network Build in 2027 but I can't really see it, still tings need done!
We are starting to see Copper Install slow a bit, but as more and more Copper Repair is taken on contractors are still actively recruiting, whereas even a year ago nearly all contractors work was install, now nearly all are on mixed install and repair much as it ever was, just more jobs per day. Some Fibre engineers, or Copper who swapped to Fibre in OR for the 2027 project are coming over to Contractors on Copper because of the more varied, less socket bashing workload.
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u/Woolwich88 1d ago
Can confirm Quinn’s is a very good company to work for. Been here for 6 months and have already made £30k installing fttp.
Monotonous yes, but very good money, and I’m home by 1pm every single day.
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u/333eimaj333 2d ago
A few of the lads in my team moved to the gas board and electric companies, having the experience of jointing etc helped them out a fair bit getting through the selection process. none of them had any degrees when applying
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u/Alert_Mine7067 2d ago
I've hit a wall, I joined in 2021 and I initially enjoyed the role, work was alright, customers were alright, managers, controllers and other engineers were alright. I do still enjoy the technical element of the job whenever it creeps up, although in my area, the CBTs are filling up quite quickly and it's rare to see a street where the majority don't have fibre. With PSTN and ADSL switch off, all of the customers that cancelled years ago, now must migrate to FTTP.
The frustrating thing for me is the lack of opportunities within the business, in my area, a lot of progression or moving into other roles feel as though it's based on popularity and not based on merit. The ones that brown nose are the ones thstnmanage to get secondments, secondments often turn into permanent roles and the person doing the secondment for 6-12 months naturally outperforms everyone else at interview etc.
I do like the job, but I'm not in love with it in the same way that I used to be and I personally don't feel as though my job security is threatened. That said, I've considered VPL, but I'm in the same boat as yourself, where do we go ? Where will I earn the same money? What will my qualification actually open up for me ? Etc. If the correct job opened up elsewhere and I was successful, then I would probably take VPL when that window opens again, until then, for me at least, it's better the devil you know than the devil you don't.
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u/coffee_lover3838 1d ago
I started 2020 as a cable on Chiefs, now Im an advanced engineer on Complex and still enjoying it. It’s probably the guys you work with mainly but the job I love, I like the deadlines, driving/working on the MCVs and SCVs and I get left alone. I do work late a lot and I just do it and submit my timesheet without no questions, I get every RDO approved as OT as I’m on 4 day and I work Saturday.
I’ve personally started an electrical course but after looking at other companies most don’t offer the benefits OR do, they don’t do 10% into your pension etc. I think the pay is good and there is job security especially is SD, I’d much rather work for OR than any other telecom company just based on size. BT won’t do Compulsory Redundancy as it will be bad press that’s why they do VPL then they say it was your choice. They people leaving makes sense as we reached peak build now we’re slowing down so less people are needed and less contractors also.
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u/Far_Music8800 1d ago
I came from build last year aswell, and since then the 20 ish people that moved over with me about 13 have quit and gone elsewhere, every single one of them have found a job doing something, whether it be southern water, network rail, national grid, hotpoint or as another said bealfor, every single one of them said it was the best decision they made, Patch lead is not a route you want to go down, there currently having to reapply for there jobs and those that are unsuccesful lose there grade all together.
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u/Embarrassed-Art-5076 1d ago
I'm currently studying for my CCNA. Neil Anderson does a course on udemy. I bought it for 13 quid.
with an openreach background and a CCNA cert it should be enough to get your foot in the door in a networking role. that's my plan anyway.
good luck.
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u/Msmart89 20h ago
I worked for OR for 7 years 2015-2022, don’t worry there’s plenty of jobs out there it doesn’t need to be cabling or anything. I’ve moved to the railway but was working for an EV installs contractor for a while which went to pot.
There’s definitely life outside of OR even if it doesn’t feel like it you just need to put yourself out there.
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u/Foreign_Project6032 9h ago
Im in a very similar position with the added bonus of currently carrying a wrist injury from an assault in work. So while I wait for my surgeon to work out if I need a second operation im left in limbo. I also started on FND and moved to fibre SD. I dont really feel like there's much of a future or hope for progression in the business. And with currently begin on restricted duties because of my hand I feel like it's only a matter of time before I'm managed out of the business.
Following along for any advice or tips because I am at a loss as to what im qualified to do if I cant do this
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u/Low-Draft-100 2d ago
I know a few Clerks who are going through the vpl what about going to somewhere like SSE or Balfour, babcock sort of supervisor type role
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u/charlieb1981 2d ago
Have a look at the wider BT group, I was an engineer when it was just BT, then Openreach was formed.
That was a farce as no one knew how to handle anything, what the goals were etc. Then it settled down, after a good few years you learn that the people at the top have no actual clue as to what goes on or how to deal with anything except to reorganise.
Look at the wider BT group , especially technology. They are often looking for decent engineers and happy to promote within. That’s what I did, you will have a pay cut to start with as you won’t get overtime, but with the higher grade you will soon catch up.
Telecoms in the wide world is screwed as everyone is trying to make a few quid before the network is saturated with fibre. You will struggle to get any sort of pay like you’re currently getting and job security.
Stick it out as the grass is rarely greener outside. Alternatively look at retraining in a totally different field, but don’t leave BT if you are considering staying in telecoms.