International Women’s Day 2026: Hayley Hampson on her 28 year journey across BT and Openreach

Hayley Hampson has spent nearly three decades across BT and Openreach, working her way from a call centre in Manchester to leading 270 engineers across the UK North. For International Women’s Day, she reflects on her career, the realities of field engineering, and the practical changes that help women join, stay and thrive.

You’ve been with BT since you were 18 and joined Openreach when it was created. Can you tell us about your career journey and how you’ve grown with the business over the years?

My career started in a way many people will recognise – a gap year that turned into something much bigger. After college, I took time out to care for my Nanna and took an evening job in a BT call centre handling residential fault reports. Twenty‑eight years later, I’m still here.

In my early years in Manchester, I worked across a range of service and technical roles, and at 19 I was asked to cover for my manager. It was daunting, but it sparked my passion for leadership and operations. I later moved into the engineering side of the business, becoming the only woman in my office at the time. That experience, along with leading teams across Control, UK North and Scotland, shaped much of my development. I’ve since worked in operations, programme management and Chief Engineers, taking on roles that stretched me and helped me grow.

Today, as Senior Network Assurance Manager for UK North, I lead nine managers and around 270 engineers across pole testing and power engineering. Looking back, none of my 18 roles were planned.

My career has grown through opportunity, curiosity and a genuine love of working with people. The biggest privilege has been leading incredible teams and continuously learning along the way.

You’ve spent the last four years leading pole‑testing teams in the north. What does pole testing actually involve day to day, and what do you enjoy most about working in the field?

Pole testing is a critical safety programme. With more than four million poles across our network, my teams make sure they remain safe for both the public and our engineers. Each year, around 370,000 poles are tested. Testing involves excavating around the base to check for decay, sounding the pole with a hammer, and using specialist equipment called a resistograph – often used by tree surgeons – to identify internal weaknesses. Where it’s safe, engineers also climb poles to carry out visual inspections. Poles are rarely in convenient locations, so teams often walk long distances across fields and varied terrain. What I enjoy most is spending time with the engineers, understanding their challenges and removing barriers so they can work safely and effectively. Knowing this work directly improves network safety is hugely rewarding.

What are some of the real challenges women face in field engineering roles, and how have you seen things change over your career?

Around 10% of our field engineers are female, and the challenges are both practical and cultural. Historically, personal protective equipment (PPE) and clothing have been designed around male body shapes. For roles like pole testing – where harnesses are worn for much of the day – this really matters. We’re actively exploring equipment and clothing designed to better support women.

Returning from maternity leave can also be difficult. Breastfeeding while in an engineering role isn’t straightforward, so we’re developing education for leaders to help them support women returning to work.

Culturally, assumptions still exist. Female engineers are sometimes perceived by the public as less senior than male colleagues. Increasing representation and visible female role models is key to changing that.

4. Openreach has been working to make engineering roles more inclusive – from better protective clothing to clearer development routes. Which changes have made the biggest difference for women?

Representation, removing barriers and providing career support have had the biggest impact.

Recently, I supported a school assembly with three female engineers. The assumption beforehand was that engineering speakers would be men. Standing together made a visible statement and challenged that stereotype immediately.

We’ve also seen that adjusting the language in job adverts can increase female applications. Women often hold back if they don’t meet every criterion, while men apply much earlier.

Mentoring also plays a huge role, and I’ve supported many women as they’ve progressed or navigated challenges.

As Co‑Chair of the Gender Network, what are your priorities, especially when it comes to supporting women in operational and field roles?

As Co‑Chair of the Gender Equality Network, my focus is on understanding the real challenges women face across Openreach and making sure we put meaningful support in place to address them.

We’ve recently partnered with The Girls’ Network to provide mentoring for school‑aged girls, improved access to better‑fitting clothing through pop‑up sizing events and introduced measures to protect engineer privacy after incidents of unwanted social media contact.

We’re also increasing awareness around breastfeeding, menopause and wider health considerations, making sure our policies translate into practical support for both field and desk‑based teams.

You’re a single mum to a twelve‑year‑old while managing a demanding operational role. What helps you balance work and home life, and what support has made the biggest difference?

I don’t think perfect balance exists – you just protect what matters most.

Sometimes that means finishing early to watch my son play basketball and catching up later. Other times it means travelling for important meetings and spending time away from home. We lost my son’s dad when he was five, and both of my parents have passed away, so my friends have become my support network. Work support has also been crucial. I plan travel carefully, often aligning Scotland visits with school holidays so my son can stay with friends. Being a mum has strengthened my time management and prioritisation skills – although mum guilt definitely still exists.

7. You’ve seen telecoms evolve over decades. What still needs to change to help more women join, stay and progress in technical and engineering roles?

We need to encourage more women into engineering, but retention is just as important, especially as recruitment across telecoms declines. Flexible working must be genuinely visible and career‑neutral. More visible female leaders help show what is possible. Improved welfare facilities are essential for women returning after maternity leave or medical procedures.

Culturally, inclusion is still evolving. It should be treated like safety – something owned by everyone, every day – not just an HR initiative.

8. And finally – tell us something about you that people might not expect.

I’m a big sports fan – football, boxing and UFC – and I enjoy getting to the gym whenever I can.

 A fun fact: my son Remell weighed 11lb at birth, making him the biggest baby delivered at the hospital that year. And yes, being able to touch your nose with your tongue definitely still counts as a talent!