Member Article

Cameron welcomes 1,000 BT jobs creation

British Telecom has created 1,000 new jobs in fibre engineering as a result of its broadband rollout across the UK.

In addition to the 1,500 engineers who were recruited over the past 12 months, 400 apprentices will be taken on in fibre broadband installation as well as 200 jobs reserved for the armed forces and 400 recruited from elsewhere.

BT’s job creation was welcomed by the Prime Minister, David Cameron, who gave a speech on the economy in Keighley, Yorkshire, on Thursday.

Mr Cameron said: “I warmly welcome the announcement from BT today. Working with business, the Government is driving a transformation in UK broadband services and with an extra 100,000 homes and businesses gaining superfast broadband availability each week, this is already taking shape.

“Providing much faster broadband speeds, and enabling millions more homes and businesses to enjoy these speeds is vital for driving investment and equipping the UK to compete and thrive in the global race.”

BT has invested £2.5bn in fibre broadband to create the largest network of its kind in the UK across more than 13 million properties.

Apprentices taken on as part of this latest recruitment drive will be given training over a two and a half year period, to gain a BTEC diploma in ICT Systems.

Maths, English and ICT training will also be provided, which BT said will be essential for them to progress in the workplace.

Ian Livingston, BT’s chief executive, said: “BT’s investment, together with the government’s BDUK programme, will cement the UK’s position as one of the leading broadband nations in Europe.

“We remain highly confident that fibre can be provided to more than 90 per cent of UK homes and businesses, making the UK a global digital leader.

“Faster broadband will help to fuel the UK economy and the jobs we are creating are part of that.

“Almost half of the jobs will be offered under our popular apprenticeship scheme giving young people the chance to earn a recognised qualification and pursue a career as a skilled telecoms engineer.”

Openreach, the BT-owned firm dealing with broadband rollout, will work with the Ministry of Defence and the Careers Transition Partnership to attract armed forces levers, whom the firm is keen to recruit.

BT has already recruited 400 apprentices to date, having received 18,500 applications for the last intake and hopes to attract similar interest for this intake, including people who are long term unemployed.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Miranda Dobson .