BT announces major new recruitment of apprentices and graduates in Wales
Aberystwyth, Bangor, Cardiff, Haverfordwest, Newport and Swansea among the latest locations to benefit
BT today announced it is creating about 80 new apprenticeship and graduate jobs across Wales in its drive to equip young people with the skills and training needed to meet the challenges of a changing jobs market.
About 70 apprentices will be recruited in locations such as Aberystwyth, Bangor, Cardiff, Haverfordwest, Newport, Merthyr and Swansea, while 13 graduates are expected to be based in Cardiff.
This year’s BT apprentice and graduate recruitment, which includes mobile operator EE, will see the new employees work in a variety of roles, ranging from customer service, vehicle maintenance and finance to cyber security and software development.
Across the UK, the latest recruitment of 1,700 UK apprentices and graduates builds on the employment of nearly 2,500 in the past two years.
A number of the recruits will be based at BT’s world-recognised labs at Adastral Park, near Ipswich, in Suffolk. This research centre is at the forefront of developing communications networks and is playing a leading role in the development of ultrafast broadband and 5G.
Welcoming the announcement, Skills and Science Minister, Julie James, said: “This is brilliant news for Wales, its economy and wider digital infrastructure.”
“Improving digital coverage in all areas of Wales and ensuring we have the right skills to meet future employment needs are key priorities for this government and we are committed to working with businesses, such as BT, to deliver a high quality apprenticeship offer in Wales.
“Indeed only last month I launched our new Apprenticeship Policy which places a greater focus on higher level apprenticeships in priority areas such as technology, engineering and ICT so this recruitment announcement is welcome news for Wales.”
Gavin Patterson, chief executive of BT, said: “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.”
Alwen Williams, regional director for BT Cymru Wales, said: “This latest major recruitment is a further example of BT’s commitment to Wales as one of the country’s leading employers and investors.”
“We are offering exciting, high quality careers in a fast moving industry in order to ensure the households and businesses of Wales are able to benefit from the latest, first class communications. The new recruits will be joining a world-leading company, which has already invested hundreds of millions of pounds in Wales in technologies such as superfast broadband and 4G.”
BT is one of the UK’s largest employers with 81,400 employees. According to a recent report by Regeneris Consulting, the company supports around 9,840 jobs in Wales through direct employment, spending with contractors and suppliers and the spending of employees - and gives an annual boost to the Welsh economy worth nearly £774 million.
Openreach, BT’s local network business, will launch its own recruitment drive in due course.
