BT
Kevin Ferguson
What do you do at BT?
I work in product management. We sell loads of different types of telecoms products to all sorts of major companies. We do everything from phone lines, to broadband, to data connections that companies use to link up their computer systems across the world.
What do you find challenging and rewarding about your job?
I don’t come from an ICT background so the challenge for me is to learn all about the technical side of how a telephone and broadband network actually works. Have you ever wondered how a phone call gets from your mobile to your parents phone in their house? It’s very high-tech but interesting to see all the different equipment that is used to transport the sound of your voice!
I’m still learning in my job, so the rewarding part for me is once I know how it all works I can start to help my team hit our targets and achieve our goals. For example just now we are developing a new product for improving connections between computer networks – it's very interesting watching it go from being a good idea to something that customers can actually use!
What are the perks of the job?
The perks of the job are learning a lot of new skills, working with lots of interesting people and seeing a defined path of how to move up the chain as your career progresses.
Where did you go to university?
I went to Queen’s University in Belfast – graduating in 2007.
What did you study?
I studied Business Management – so I had a lot to learn when I started an ICT role, having not studied computers in uni!
What was your route into a career in ICT?
I joined BT on a graduate management development scheme. The way the scheme worked we didn’t know what job we would be given – so I was quite surprised when I was put into a fairly technical role. Although it was nice to find out that you don’t have to be a computer genius to work in ICT – I do a lot of more business-related tasks too such as monitoring sales, writing for our website and organising customer events.
Do your skills ever come in handy outside of work?
The skills that I’ve learned do sometimes come in handy outside of work – I get a lot of people asking me to fix their broadband if it isn’t working properly!
What is the weirdest thing that has ever happened to you at work?
Last year I volunteered at the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition – it was good fun, and I spent half of my week giving out yo-yos and free pens, and playing a Playstation 3! (I never thought that would be part of a career in ICT!)
