virgin media engineer careers
 

Hi i am currently trying to decide between getting into installing etc with virgin media or trying to get into the electronic security/structured cabling or electrician trade? Was just wondering if people in the know could provide any advice as to pros and cons between these trades and what would be the best career path. also things like the best earning potential, best kind of work, differences between the physicality of the work..... just generally what would be the best .bet to get involved with for a decent career? Thanks for any info.. sorry if this is the wrong area to post in but cant see where else i would post. cheers.

Re: virgin media engineer careers
 

it would help if we had more input from you, age, experience , schooling etc

Re: virgin media engineer careers
 

Im 20 and have done various construction type jobs so far but am now looking to get into a trade/industry long term.

Re: virgin media engineer careers
 

Education? you must have a certificate in maths, do you have this? plus one of the sciences, physics preferably. this for an electrician. I have no idea what you need for installation tech

Re: virgin media engineer careers
 

Yes have these from school, would it be a good guess that being a spark would be much better than a cable tech or??.......

Re: virgin media engineer careers
 

I would think any electrician could do a cable tech or alarms tech with some training, I don't think it would work the other way round. But I suppose the training for an electrician is usually an apprenticeship( collage time involved (3 years? ) day release.Whereas a cable tech is a lot shorter training.
The sparky is a lot more scope.
( Not that I would know of course, I used to be a Tiffy:D so a sparky wouldn't trust me as far as he could throw me;):D)

Re: virgin media engineer careers
 

I don't think Virginmedia employee many "engineers" either directly or via sub-con. You could always apply for a job as a "forward path attenuator" fitter though, they seem to employ hundreds of them :rofl:

Re: virgin media engineer careers
 

VM employ well over 1500 engineers/technicians. Technicians tend to do Installs and Service visits, Engineers maintain and upgrade their Network.

I know a few people who work there

This link gives more info - http://careers.virginmedia.com/oppor...-networks.html

These are the current Tech/Engineer roles available - https://www2.i-grasp.com/fe/tpl_virg...bckvosyfvgxypy

Re: virgin media engineer careers
 

All the techs I've had visit when in different homes are all planning on leaving due to poor working conditions etc

Re: virgin media engineer careers
 

They will be sub contractors

Re: virgin media engineer careers
 

Yeah, that's true.

Re: virgin media engineer careers
 

Don't get into the cable industry if you can help it. Even if you work direct for VM, which ain't easy, you'll still be doing more graft than if you were with say BT or Sky.

The industry is notoriously hard graft and that's because the people who run things VM, (NTL, Telewest) etc, expect way too much from their employees (slaves). I used to work direct for BT and in my induction they would joke about how lucky we were seeing as we only had to do 4 jobs (singles) per day max! and that virgin would give their techs 6 jobs(quads/tripples) at the very least. I didn't appreciate what they where saying at the time, being a noob and all, but after working in cable I see how right they were.

People blame the specific contractors, but it's VM who are to blame.

Re: virgin media engineer careers
 

Thats odd as they are appearing at Mobile Workforce Managment due to the face they have the most engaged field force in the UK?

Re: virgin media engineer careers
 

:clap:

Re: virgin media engineer careers
 

Lol, it's not "odd". It's just one guy giving an honest opinion! to the next. I don't know, or care, about this work force management to be honest. Will it make the engineers look any less depressed and suicidal when they come into the yard each morning?

Re: virgin media engineer careers
 

I take it you work for a sub contractor rather than VM?

Re: virgin media engineer careers
 

Yes, I did! work for Fujitsu - and I'm happy to to speak in past tense. But I did say to the guy that working direct for VM would be a lot!! better for him. Those guys at least look like they aren't about to burst into tears or punch someone in the face come time to collect their consumables, CPE, etc.

Luckily, I was hired before they realized that people were running a mile as soon as they started work for real, and introduced the £1000 training back charge for people leaving before a certain time.

I saw guys who hadn't even held a master socket before training, been given 9 job routes standing in the yard just looking at the paper work totality bewildered, saying "how am I gonna do this... "this isn't for real, is it?" And I would would pat them on the back and calmly say "welcome to VM mate... don't expect to get home before the kids are in bed".

Ah, the good old days.

Re: virgin media engineer careers
 

Stevo11 May I ask how you got into working for Fujitsu as I have handed my CV to my Fujitsu area manager but was wondering if you know of any other routes I could take to obtain a trainee job?

Re: virgin media engineer careers
 

I got offered the job through bluefire recruitment - they had my CV on file. I had worked for BT before so they knew I could hit the ground running.

What skills do you have? I might be able to hook you up?

Re: virgin media engineer careers
 

Well at the moment my job is completely different to a field tech so I have no skills officially in the area of interest at the moment. As im young I currently have no commitments so would be able to give any training offered my full attention.

Re: virgin media engineer careers
 

Virgin Media have an apprentice scheme - you could try that

http://careers.virginmedia.com/apprentices/index.html

Re: virgin media engineer careers
 

That is the first place I looked but the closet position available to me is about 60 miles away and 60 miles home so its a bit too much in my eyes, Just waiting on a call to see if Fujitsu are interested was told they normally call within about 2 weeks and there based 5 minutes down the road from me.

Re: virgin media engineer careers
 

i think i will be old to apply soon but you never know if current role gets phased out in end of 2013

Re: virgin media engineer careers
 

Anyone know any one that I could contact to get the ball rolling ? :)

Re: virgin media engineer careers
 

Your basing the advice on the Installation Tech and Field Technician,(service Tech). Which yes is hard work, but the Field Technician has definitely improved over the last 3yrs, with pay,bonus and working conditions. Install's has always been the poor neighbour in this with them working as subcontractors, poorly paid, over worked, undertrained and dare I say it not the best calibre of people for the role,(not all of course, but alot). The rest of the company has really well paid and challenging positions, like any job you can aspire to move up or into different roles once employed for at least 6 months so giving you the foot into the door.