Openreach Jobs and Careers 2026: How to Apply, Roles, Salaries, and What It Is Like to Work There

June 17, 2026 George 0 Comments

Openreach is one of the UK’s largest employers — over 37,000 direct employees — and one of the most significant infrastructure businesses in the country, responsible for building and maintaining the network that connects the majority of UK homes and businesses. With the government’s full-fibre broadband rollout underway and Openreach at the centre of it, the company is actively recruiting across multiple disciplines.

Here is a complete guide to Openreach careers: what roles are available, what the salaries look like, how to apply, what the graduate and apprenticeship schemes offer, and what working at Openreach is actually like.

Who Is Openreach and Why Are They Hiring?

Openreach is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group, separated into a legally distinct entity in 2017 following Ofcom’s requirement that BT’s network business operate with greater independence from its retail business. Openreach owns and maintains the UK’s telephone and broadband infrastructure — the ducts, cables, telephone poles, exchanges, and fibre that connects approximately 30 million UK premises.

Openreach is currently in the middle of the largest infrastructure build in UK history: rolling out full-fibre broadband (FTTP — Fibre to the Premises) across the UK. The target was to pass 25 million UK premises with full-fibre by December 2026. This rollout is the primary driver of Openreach’s sustained hiring programme — thousands of engineers and support staff are needed to install and maintain the new network.

Openreach Jobs: Main Categories

Job Category	Typical Roles	Starting Salary Range
Field Engineering	Fibre Engineer, Copper Engineer, Field Tech	£27,000 — £35,000 + van + tools
Network Build	Build Planner, Build Surveyor, Infrastructure Engineer	£30,000 — £45,000
Technology and IT	Software Engineer, Network Architect, Data Analyst	£35,000 — £65,000+
Operations and Support	Customer Service, Operations Manager, Scheduling	£22,000 — £35,000
Graduate Scheme	Technology, Engineering, or Business stream	£30,000 starting
Apprenticeship	External Fibre Technician Level 3	£15,000 — £20,000 during training
Project and Programme Management	Project Manager, Programme Director	£40,000 — £70,000+

Field Engineer Roles: The Most Common Openreach Job

Field engineer roles are the backbone of Openreach’s workforce. These are the engineers you see in vans and on ladders, installing and repairing broadband connections. There are several distinct types:

Fibre Engineer (FTTP)

Fibre Engineers install full-fibre broadband connections to homes and businesses. This involves working at height (up telegraph poles and in loft spaces), running cables, splicing fibre, and configuring customer equipment. It is physical, outdoor work in all weathers. The role comes with a company van, all tools provided, and a uniform.

Starting salary for Fibre Engineers is typically £27,000-£31,000, rising with experience to £33,000-£37,000. Overtime is available and commonly taken, pushing total take-home pay significantly above the base. Benefits include a company van (available for personal use in some contracts), pension contribution (up to 10% employer contribution), and access to BT Group employee discounts.

Copper Engineer

Copper Engineers maintain and repair the legacy copper telephone and broadband network. As FTTP rollout progresses, this role is evolving — engineers are increasingly cross-trained to handle both copper maintenance and fibre installation.

How to Apply for Openreach Jobs

All Openreach job applications are made through the official careers portal at jobs.openreach.co.uk (which redirects to the BT Group careers site). There is no value in applying through third-party job boards like Indeed or Reed — the official site is always the first and best route.

The application process for field engineering roles:

Online application form — basic personal details, work history, eligibility to work in the UK
Online assessment — typically numerical and logical reasoning tests; some roles include situational judgement tests
Video interview — pre-recorded video answers to competency questions; assessed against Openreach’s values
Face-to-face or virtual interview — with a hiring manager; competency-based questions using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result)
Medical and DBS check — field roles require a medical fitness assessment and a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) criminal record check
Driving licence — a full UK driving licence is mandatory for all field engineer roles

Time from application to offer: typically 4-8 weeks for field roles. Graduate and technology roles may take longer.

Openreach Apprenticeship: External Fibre Technician

The Openreach External Fibre Technician apprenticeship is one of the most popular entry routes. It is a Level 3 apprenticeship (equivalent to 2 A-Levels) that combines on-the-job training with structured learning, typically delivered over 12-18 months.

What the apprenticeship covers:

Health and safety for working at height and in the public highway
Fibre splicing and connection techniques
Customer interaction and communication skills
Use of Openreach diagnostic tools and systems
Installation standards and quality assurance

Apprentice starting salaries are £15,000-£20,000 during the training period, rising to the standard fibre engineer pay band on completion. The apprenticeship is open to school leavers and career changers; there are no specific educational requirements beyond basic literacy and numeracy.

Openreach Graduate Scheme

Openreach’s graduate scheme runs across three main streams: Technology (software engineering, network architecture, data), Engineering (network build and field engineering management), and Business (operations, strategy, HR, finance). Starting salaries are approximately £30,000 with structured progression over a two-year rotational programme.

Applications typically open in September for the following year’s intake. Entry requirements: a 2:1 degree in a relevant discipline (engineering, computer science, physics, business). Openreach also accepts applications from any degree discipline for the business stream.

What Is It Like to Work at Openreach?

Openreach reviews on Glassdoor and Indeed give a mixed but generally positive picture. Common themes from employee reviews:

Positives:

Good pay relative to physical work skills required
Company van (often including private use)
Strong BT Group pension scheme — up to 10% employer contribution
Job security — Openreach’s infrastructure role makes large-scale redundancies unlikely during active rollout
Overtime opportunities for those who want to increase earnings

Negatives:

Target-driven culture in field roles — installation volume targets can feel pressured
Working outdoors in all weathers — field roles require comfort in rain, cold, and at height
Legacy systems — IT and back-office staff frequently mention outdated internal systems
Shift patterns — some roles include early starts, late finishes, and weekend working

Overall Glassdoor rating for Openreach: approximately 3.7/5.0 — above average for a large UK infrastructure employer. CEO approval rating is generally positive, particularly following BT Group’s ongoing investment in the fibre rollout programme.

For more on what Openreach does and how the UK’s broadband infrastructure works, see our guide to what is Openreach and how the UK fibre network works.

Having problems with your Openreach-connected broadband? See our guide to how to complain to Openreach and what your rights are.

All current Openreach vacancies — field engineer, graduate scheme, apprenticeship, and office roles — are listed at jobs.openreach.co.uk — the official Openreach careers portal.

Bottom Line


Total Openreach employees	37,000+
Main hiring driver	Full-fibre (FTTP) broadband rollout to 25 million UK premises by end 2026
Fibre Engineer salary	£27,000-£35,000 base + company van + BT pension
Driving licence required?	Yes — mandatory for all field roles
Apprenticeship	Level 3 External Fibre Technician — 12-18 months; open to school leavers
Graduate scheme start salary	~£30,000; applications open September
How to apply	jobs.openreach.co.uk — official portal only
Glassdoor rating	~3.7/5.0

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I apply for Openreach jobs?

All Openreach job applications are made through the official careers portal at jobs.openreach.co.uk (redirects to the BT Group careers site). The process for field roles involves an online application form, online assessments (numerical and logical reasoning), a pre-recorded video interview, and a face-to-face or virtual interview. A full UK driving licence is required for all field engineer roles. Field roles also require a medical assessment and DBS check.

How much do Openreach engineers earn?

Openreach Fibre Engineers start at approximately £27,000-£31,000 per year, rising to £33,000-£37,000 with experience. The role includes a company van (sometimes with personal use), uniform, all tools provided, and a BT Group pension with up to 10% employer contribution. Overtime is available and commonly taken, pushing total earnings significantly above the base salary.

Does Openreach have an apprenticeship?

Yes — Openreach offers an External Fibre Technician Level 3 apprenticeship (equivalent to 2 A-Levels) covering fibre installation, health and safety, customer service, and diagnostic tools. The apprenticeship runs 12-18 months with starting pay of £15,000-£20,000, rising to the standard fibre engineer pay band on completion. No specific educational requirements; open to school leavers and career changers.

Is Openreach a good company to work for?

Openreach holds a Glassdoor rating of approximately 3.7/5.0 — above average for a large UK infrastructure employer. Positive aspects include good pay relative to the skill level required, company van, strong pension, job security during the active fibre rollout, and overtime availability. Common criticisms include target-driven culture in field roles, outdoor working in all weathers, and legacy internal IT systems.