Gillian

Degree subject BTech Information Technology and Telecommunications (2003); MSc Ubiquitous and Multimedia Systems
Job title Technical Training Consultant
Employer Ericsson

A customer-facing job in training was the perfect choice for me as I wanted a career that focused on technology and allowed me to work with people. For the first four months I was on an intensive training programme which included both technical and soft skills training.

When customers buy an Ericsson product, eg a network management system, it's my job to train the network engineers so that they can operate, maintain and troubleshoot the system. I have to make sure that they are fully competent to run the network. The training courses/workshops can vary from one day to two weeks and cover both theory and practical (hands-on) training. I am also involved in the design and development of the courses.

Travelling is the best thing about my job, because I love meeting new people, but at 6.00 am on a Sunday morning in the airport it can sometimes feel like the worst. In the future, when I've travelled the world and am ready to take on new challenges there is plenty of opportunity for me to move into a consultancy role, customising training solutions for network operators.

Advice for graduates

For my job you've got to have excellent communication skills, patience and tolerance. As we travel internationally, we work with different cultural groups, and it's essential to recognise that not everyone has the same values or ways of working.