Meet Alisha: Quick-Fire Questions and a bit about her!
Starting her career journey in telecommunications, Alisha brings a fresh perspective and a passion for learning to her role as a TAC 1.5 Engineer and Apprentice. With no previous experience in the telecoms industry, she has embraced the opportunity to develop new skills, grow her technical knowledge and take on new challenges as part of the Access4 team.
We caught up with Alisha to learn more about her journey so far, her experience stepping into the world of telecoms and a few fun facts along the way.
Q. What’s your comfort TV show?
A. How I met your mother, always!
Q. Best piece of non-work advice you’ve ever received?
A. People might forget what you said/did, but they’ll always remember how you made them feel.
Q. What’s your comfort food after a long day?
A. Steak Ramen
Q. If you weren’t in telecoms, what job would you have?
A. Something that involves lots of talking.
Behind the scenes of a TAC 1.5 and Apprentice:
Q. You’re doing an apprenticeship alongside your role, what have you gained from it so far?
A. I’ve gained a much broader understanding of the business and the principles behind the work I do. It has helped me develop both my technical knowledge and my professional skills, including communication and problem-solving.
I’ve been able to apply what I’ve learned directly to my day-to-day role, which has made me more confident in taking on new tasks and responsibilities. The apprenticeship has also encouraged me to think more critically about how I work and identify ways to improve processes and deliver better results.
Q. What drew you to a career in technical support or troubleshooting in the first place?
A. The main reason I was drawn to a career in technical support was my grandma, who is a Senior Technical Engineer. Growing up, I saw how passionate she was about her work. She genuinely enjoyed helping her partners, whether that was troubleshooting technical issues or working on more complex coding tasks, and she always approached every challenge with care and dedication. Watching her inspired me from a young age.
I admired not only her technical knowledge but also how much she loved what she did, and it made me want to find a career that I could be equally passionate about. Now that I’m working in technical support, I can honestly say I’ve found that same passion. I enjoy solving problems, helping partners, and continuously learning new skills.
Q. What’s a skill you’ve had to build fast that you didn’t expect to need?
A. One skill I’ve had to develop much faster than I expected is communication. When I first started, I thought technical knowledge would be the biggest part of the role, but I quickly realised that being able to communicate clearly is just as important. I’ve learned how to explain technical issues in a way that’s easy for customers to understand, adapt my communication style depending on who I’m speaking to, and manage expectations throughout the support process.
I’ve also become more confident communicating with colleagues across different teams, whether that’s asking for advice, collaborating on an issue, or providing updates.
Q. What’s genuinely satisfying about cracking a truly complex issue?
A. What’s most satisfying about resolving a truly complex issue is the sense of achievement that comes from persevering and finding the right solution. Some problems can’t be solved immediately, so they require a lot of patience, research, collaboration, and sometimes a methodical approach. When all of that comes together and you finally identify the root cause, it’s incredibly rewarding. I also enjoy the impact it has on the partner.
Partners come to us feeling frustrated by an issue, so once I’ve resolved it and I know they can get back to work is a great feeling. Every complex issue I solve also helps me build my knowledge and confidence, meaning I’m better equipped to handle similar challenges in the future. For me, it’s not just about fixing the problem, it’s about learning from it and using that experience to improve both my own skills and the support I provide.
Alisha’s journey highlights the value of curiosity, dedication and a willingness to learn. Stepping into the telecoms industry for the first time, she has embraced new challenges, developed her technical skills and continued to grow within her role as a TAC 1.5 Engineer and Apprentice.
A big thank you to Alisha for taking the time to share her experience, career journey and a few fun facts with us!
