Meet Craig Beverley. Craig works with us as an Access Planner within our Network Expansion team, finding opportunities for those who aren’t connected with us yet to get connected. We spent 3 minutes with him to learn what he gets up to and how working with us fits in with his life.

How would you describe what an Access Planner does to someone who hasn’t heard of it before?

An Access Planner’s job is to connect large businesses to our network via fibre optic cabling.  This could be a huge warehouse, mobile phone masts, hospitals. They all need to connect to a central location which can then connect to other central locations. This is basically how the internet works.

We also plan new cables and create instructions for the engineers on where they need to pull the cables to and from. We plan the underground ducting and the chambers (the square/rectangle lids you were told were bad luck to walk on as a kid), being careful not to interrupt electricity and drainage pipes at the same time.

Sounds like you get to plan some exciting places. We’re guessing you have to speak to lots of people in the business. What’s that part of the job like? 

Right from when I started it was clear there was a big emphasis on team play. I was one of six people already joining a team of seven. We all got to work and learn closely together.

We’re also working with other parts of the business as our plans need to go through several departments to get built. We engage with all of these teams closely to keep the country connected. I can drop a message to anybody in the business and somebody will take the time to help, and vice-versa.

What are some of the top things you love about your role?

The adaptability. Having a baby during lockdown meant flexible working came in handy. It’s great that our job isn’t just desk-based. Getting out of the office to survey the sites we’re connecting means meeting new people, fresh air and travelling around the country.

I learn new things every day by visiting other departments and figuring out how our roles can work together. It helps me do my job better and improves our relationship as a business. I take five paid days off to volunteer in my community, too. It’s nice to feel like we are part of a family.

Most importantly, I love that I get to invest in myself. I injured my ankle in my previous role and my injury was misdiagnosed. Our BUPA healthcare benefit gave me a  second opinion and identified the issue with my ligaments and broken bone fragment. This benefit may be one of the reasons I can still walk today.