From the forces to fibre - an interview with Head of Field Engineering, Liam Connor.

What was your career before joining G.Network?

The Army was my first job, where I served 7 years with the bomb disposal regiment in the Royal Engineers. When I left, I found myself thrown into a world that was totally different. In the military, your life is handled for you - you’re told everything, from when to eat and sleep to when your dentist appointment is. But I had to start looking at my options. 

For as long as I can remember, I’d always looked up to my big brother. I followed him into the Army, worked in the same regiment as him, and so naturally when he left and threw himself into a career in telecoms, I was eager to follow in his footsteps. 

The military gave me a resettlement package that covered the training costs to become a fibre engineer. Once I’d completed my training, I picked up a field technician job with a telecommunications company in the North. After 7 years, it was time for my next challenge – and that’s when I found G.Network. It’s been nearly 4 years and I haven’t looked back.

What’s your role at G.Network? 

I’m Head of Field Engineering, so I look after all of our fibre specialists who work out in the fielf. A big part of what I do is help train and cultivate the team. I’m here to make sure everyone has the support they need to achieve level-best in their fields.

I’ve always been passionate about helping people discover the best in themselves, and seeing groups of our fibre specialists pull together to bring our full fibre network to London is inspiring. It reminds me why I loved the military. 

What’s the role of a fibre specialist at G.Network?

My team do more than deliver ultrafast internet - they’re the face of G.Network’s brand, interacting with our customers on a daily basis.  We act as the front line of G.Network’s service offering, and we’re the last point of contact delivering customers broadband solution, looking for a service that puts a smile on their faces. 

The day-to-day of a fibre specialist totally depends on which team you’re part of. We have three teams – backbone, surveys, and installations. Backbone is responsible for installing our core fibre network infrastructure. They spend the day working outdoors, moving from location to location across London to install our fibre network. The survey team meet the customers and plan the installation of fibre to the premises, whether that’s someone’s home or a business. And the installation team install our full fibre broadband in people’s homes and businesses. 

What can military leavers expect from a career at G.Network? 

G.Network is on a seriously fast growth trajectory, but we don’t just invest in our business - we invest in our people too.

If you’re a new military leaver looking for a new career with strong potential for progression, G.Network is a company that can offer it to you. When you join us, they'll be a clear path ahead of you. From fibre specialist you can become principal engineer, then supervisor, then manager, and so on.  If you’re interested in other areas of the business and the need exists, there’s always that opportunity to shift departments and make your mark there too. If you’ve got what it takes, the sky’s the limit. 

Why G.Network? What makes it such a great place to work?

For me, I was sold on the vision, and G.Network has delivered well and above what was initially offered to me. 

For anyone coming in, we won’t just invest in your skills and offer that clear progression path. You’ll have the chance to make your mark on a completely new network that’ll change the way London communicates. This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity.

On top of that, there’s a good dose of camaraderie, too. Each supervisor looks after 10 Fibre Specialists, so it’s like having your own troop. There’s always healthy competition between teams too, which definitely keeps things interesting. 

What pathways are there into a career in fibre for military leavers?

If you’ve got the right attitude and that eagerness to learn, our Fibre Academy is ready and waiting. You can become a G.Network Fibre Specialist with no prior experience as part of our Reskillship programme, and we’ll provide you with the training and support you need to succeed.

Alternatively, you can use your resettlement package to cover the cost of your fibre training. Ex-military applicants who have completed their CNCI Fibre and COPT courses with CNet training are guaranteed an interview at G.Network.

You can use your Enhanced Learning Credits to complete your training. Once you have completed the courses and have your certificates, you can apply under our guaranteed interview scheme.

Finally, what advice would you give to a military leaver looking to start a career in your field? 

Be open-minded about the opportunities that you come across. Joining G.Network was the right choice for me and I haven’t looked back. 

Finding success in civilian life is all about discovering your core skills and developing them. G.Network is a great place to do it.