Learner Success Story

Carla Wood

Employer: MAP Group UK

Position: Telecommunications Engineer

Prior to starting at DTN Academy:

Carla, recommended by her work coach, registered her interest in DTN Academy’s Structured Cabling Network Engineer Training course, as she was informed of the excellent employment opportunities within the Telecommunications Industry. Carla, recently unemployed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, possessed experience in a wide range of sectors, from construction to tiling, and most recently dressmaking.

When Carla attended DTN Academy’s Information Session, she was pleasantly surprised with the content of the course and could instantly see a long-term career for herself within the Industry. With Carla’s daughter recently moving out, she has a lot more time to focus on herself and is excited by the prospects of working away from home.

During our Course:

Carla was really enjoying the course, finding the content interesting, especially the time spent in the workshop. Carla did find that the theoretical work did not challenge her too much; simply due to her recently completing a degree at University. The course at DTN Academy is male dominated. However, Carla took this in her stride and worked well alongside her peers, outshining her fellow trainees at times.

Carla was especially looking forward to working with fibre optic cable in the remaining weeks on the course and was eager to see how she would handle climbing the poles.

Carla loved the practical sessions…

Upon Completion of our course:

A message from Carla’s Tutor –

“Well done Carla! You have been a joy to teach and have been a model student throughout. I wish you all the best in your career and future.”

Carla’s standard of written work was outstanding throughout the course, which in addition to her excellent attention to detail throughout the practical activities, made her a very strong candidate for the interviewing company. Carla had her interview with MAP Group UK on the last day of her four-training course. The employer told Carla that they would make a decision on the back of how successful she was on the additional training week at DTN Academy, where she would study and aim to achieve SA001, SA002 and NRSWA Unit 2 accreditations.

On the Additional Training Week, Carla passed every assessment that was put her way and successfully achieved all of the qualifications that were on offer, leaving DTN Academy with her BTEC L2 Diploma, SA001, SA002, NRSWA Unit 2 and a range of In-House Certificates.

Interview Outcome:

Carla was contacted by MAP Group UK after she completed the Additional Training Week and was informed that she had been successful in her interview and they would like to offer her a job.

Carla was delighted and accepted the offer of employment. Carla will commence employment with MAP Group UK in September 2020 as a Fibre Installation Engineer – Overhead and Underground.

A message from Carla:

“When I first read that the telecoms industry was one of the top five sectors looking for skilled workers little did, I know that just over two months later I’d be employed within it as a fibre engineer!

This year, I had found myself in a bit of a slump, a four-year degree with little to show in terms of employment. Then Covid struck and had a drastic impact on my self-employed dressmaking business.

When I read the article about training in this new (to me) industry, my job coach put the wheels in motion and within days I had had an induction at DTN Academy. A taste of the course and a look around the workshop, plus a friendly chat about what the industry had to offer in terms of future employment.

I was pleased to be offered a place on the course and started the very next week!

The tutors really make an effort to make you feel at home, we were a diverse group, but we all got along great and it was nice to be able to help each other.

I found the practical sessions really interesting, working with fibre, splicing, testing.

It is amazing to think that information can be transferred hundreds of thousands of kilometres in seconds, and it is basically pulses of light sent down a glass cable! In a previous job I had spent months analysing data but had never considered all the ingenuity and technology it took to send that data, nor thought about the work engineers do to make all that possible.

The final week of (extra) training was physically tough. Although I considered myself fit, I discovered muscles I had forgotten about especially when dealing with the extendable ladders. I have to thank the tutor, ‘come on Carla, strong arm’ was the encouragement I needed and I was so proud of myself for attaining the SA001 accreditation, climbing a 33ft pole and overcoming an obstacle is not something everyone can say they’ve done successfully!

Just over a week later and the call from MAP GROUP UK put me on cloud nine! And it is all because of the skills and opportunities DTN have given me…. I’m starting my career as a fibre engineer and I couldn’t be any happier!”

A message from DTN Academy:

We are delighted that Carla has successfully achieved employment with MAP Group UK. Carla worked very hard whilst on the course and has proved that if you work hard and display the correct attitude, anything is possible. We wish Carla the best of luck in the Industry and she knows that if she needs anything, she can let us know.

Good Luck Carla!

• Team DTN, September 2020.

Case Study created by Liam Collins – DTN Academy – September 2020