BT to create 1,700 new jobs in a bid to bolster Britain’s boffin status
BT will create 1,700 new apprenticeship and graduate positions in push to train up the UK's youngsters.
The firm today announced the new positions which, it said, would boost "tech literacy within the UK so that the country remains a digital leader".
"Young people today need three basic skills – reading, writing, and tech know-how," said BT chief executive Gavin Patterson.
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The new jobs represent a sizable increase in BT's workforce, which currently stands at 81,000 across the UK.
Openreach, the BT subsidiary that owns and operates the majority of the UK's fixed line telecoms infrastructure, is planning its own separate recruitment drive.
Apprenticeships and skills minister, Robert Halfon said: “It is always good to talk about apprenticeships and the ladder of opportunity they give people to secure the career they want."
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Patterson added: "This is the right thing for us to do if the UK is to remain a digital leader.
“It is an exciting time to join BT as it continues to invest in ultrafast broadband, 4G, television and sport. We are also preparing for future technologies, including 5G, and so we want to recruit the very best. Our apprenticeship and graduate roles will offer people the hands on experience they need to succeed.”