Lorna Kerr

• Delivered ethernet circuits between substations for SSE.
• Reviewed job packs to ensure feasibility of planned works.
• Gathered quotes from suppliers to prepare pricing sheets for tenders.
• Conducted thorough quality checks on deliverables before submission.
• Ensured compliance with budget constraints when sourcing materials and services.
• Collaborated with Project Manager to establish clear project objectives.
• Coordinated project tasks to ensure timely completion.
• Liaised with suppliers and contractors for seamless delivery of resources.
• Established effective working relationships with stakeholders for smooth project progression.
• Kept up-to-date records on project status using advanced tracking software.

My main role was to be the link between Openreach and the developers of new build housing estates and oversee the installation of fibre network to the new houses from start to finish. I looked after 30+ sites in South Bedfordshire, North Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire which I would visit all regularly and when necessary. I organized site meets, discussed plans, made amendments to the plans if necessary, ordered and delivered the stores required to build the network and answered all queries developers and customers may have had. It was in this time I obtained my EUSR card so I was able to enter building sites.

During this time, I buddied with other mobile planners alongside obtaining my own mobile planning qualifications. I worked on Scale, Shallow and Sweeper.

The qualifications I obtained in this time were Survey Network Regulations Accreditation SO13, Manual Handling & Lifting, Basic Track and Locate Techniques, One Fibre Network for Auditor / FPQ Quality MO23, and Safety, Health and Environment Awareness.

As well as this, I was put in charge of "Mission Control" email inbox which is where engineers and FBCs would send any changes to the original planned PON that were needed to be amended before commissioning.

I also trained other colleagues in how to make these changes on the GUI mapping system so there was cover when I was off.

My main role is undertaking planning support duties for Openreach contractors giving real time advice and solutions to network problems using databases such as PIPER, NGWFMT, Geohub and SRIMS. I evaluate survey packs and A55s that require additional network structure, raising wayleaves when needed and making sure that costs are kept within budget. Updating internal and external systems to ensure that other departments and service providers are kept up to date with the order. Update network records by writing any new equipment to Piper.

Key Achievements/Skills

• Raising job packs and estimates for Civils, Poling and IB work
• Incremental Build Lead
• Commissioning trained
• Covering manager role
• Regularly carried out FPQ and safety checks for the team on behalf of my manager and fed back to team members if any issues
• Dealt with high profile escalations
• Daily work allocation to the rest of the team
• Tail management - prioritising tail jobs and allocating them to team members
• Supported engineers and offshore (TCS) with planning queries and policies
• Producing planning processes and policies with transformation team
• Developed and rolled out training for new team members

Key Achievements/Skills

• Built end to end circuits from exchange to customer.
• Planned new racks and chassis in exchanges when required
• Monitoring capacity and proactively planning new equipment when it was reaching the threshold

I started BT as an apprentice where i was placed in the Thames Valley Wideband Planning team alongside doing my apprenticeship.

I passed my apprenticeship after 3 years with merit, as well as obtaining a HNC in IT, and was placed as a permanent team member.

Key Achievements/Skills

• Surveyed customer premises
• Organised and delivered stores to various exchanges in Thames Valley area
• Built end to end copper routes for customers
• Systems used included CSS, COSMOSS, INS, BERT, NIMS
• Built internal wideband circuits (exchange to exchange)