Celebrating six months of our apprentice programme!

 We are proud to be celebrating the launch of our new apprentice programme, which started earlier this year with six successful applicants from the Spalding area, with a wide range of experiences and backgrounds, who are enrolled on our 18-month programme to develop new and essential skills needed for a career in Telecoms and Fibre Infrastructure.

Launched in April 2021, the programme has been set up in partnership with PQMS Training, a leading independent training and management consultancy, to develop and deliver its hands-on training programme in Telecoms, Civil and Craft. The apprentices combine off-site training from PQMS with a three-monthly rotation through different departments including Planning, Installation, Network Operations, Build Control, Civil Engineering and Health & Safety.

Many of our leadership team started work as apprentices within the Telecoms industry and have developed successful careers as the demand for skilled engineers has grown in line with the roll out of full fibre infrastructure across the UK. The programme has been designed for the apprentices to work alongside experienced employees whilst gaining a broad foundation and deep understanding of working for an internet provider and the logistical complexity of network delivery.

Lian Hester, Apprentice at LightSpeed Broadband, commented: “As an operations manager in the Leisure and Fitness Industry, I always wanted a more challenging hands-on career. I had heard of the demand for fibre-broadband and thought it must be a growing industry. In a managerial position, I was pleased to find out that a training-level salary was comparable yet allowed me to experience all the departments within LightSpeed. My first rotation was with the installation teams and showed me the problem-solving engineering roll-out required, which meant I could reapply some of the skills I had learnt in my previous role.”

Shaylan Wilson, Apprentice at LightSpeed Broadband, commented: “After five and a half years in the army, I left aged 22 wondering how best to apply my skills. After several career fairs where I saw a lot of buzz around fibre-broadband and moving up to Lincolnshire, I was delighted to find a company offering paid apprenticeships in my area.

The departments I have joined so far on the programme have really helped me to learn and get up to speed. I meet many people who started their careers on apprentice schemes and are always extremely encouraging.”

Alastair Boothby, Apprentice at LightSpeed Broadband, commented: “After leaving school at 16, I followed the path of many people my age and ended up training in sales. Finding an apprentice scheme so close to my home in Spalding was exciting, especially in such a high-growth, modern industry.

Spending two weeks a quarter at PQMS, working with their course supervisors, ensures we maximise our time and get the correct information to take forward.”

For further information about our career opportunities, visit our careers page here.