John Clarke 

Job title:  Apprentice - Technical Switch Data
Business Unit: Wholesale
Joined:  September 2005

My father has worked for BT for 34 years so I've had a lifetime to gain an insight into some of the company's inner workings. I joined as a Wholesale Apprentice and I'm based at Kelvin House which is an international switch exchange in London. In the 10 or so months I've been here I've combined 'on the job' training with 10 weeks of college work, achieving a distinction in the Telecoms BTEC. 

My first job of the day is always to check my emails; this is the main route my manager and coach use to get information to me. Once I've dealt with any mail or tasks that may have come up since I was last at my desk, I job shadow with my buddy. At the moment I'm learning about circuit provision and maintenance.

From the day I joined, I've found the team really supportive, whether it's doing research for you or explaining how certain equipment works. There's a real sense that we're all working together and I've never felt conscious about asking questions. Being in a supportive team like this one means you learn a lot faster.
 
It doesn't just apply to learning either. I feel that I can change things here if I want to. BT is a very 'open' company where anyone is encouraged to raise issues with managers and directors further up the chain. We can also make change things in our day-to-day work. The advantage of working in such a big company is that if you do something different and inspire others to follow your example, it can start a chain reaction and before you know it you've made a big difference. It can be as simple as switching off your terminal when you leave work to save electricity and to protect the environment.

Learn more about what's it's really like to work for BT.