The company is set to recruit across diverse areas such as cyber security, software engineering and customer service to support the UK’s fast growing digital sectors.

The new roles will be based at BT Group’s state-of-the-art offices; locations include Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Darlington, Ipswich, Leeds, London, Manchester, Sheffield, and Warrington².

BT Group is the UK’s top private sector apprenticeship employer, recruiting more than 3,000 apprentices and graduates over the past five years. In 2024, BT Group was named the UK’s leading private sector company for apprentices, recognising the company’s commitment to creating new apprenticeships, the diversity of apprentices and the number of apprenticeships successfully completed.

Athalie Williams, Chief Human Resources Officer at BT Group, said: “I’m incredibly proud of the opportunities we provide to develop new talent at BT Group and recognise the valuable contributions graduates and apprentices bring to the workforce. Last year alone, we recruited around 500 apprentices and graduates, all eager to learn, develop their skills, and help deliver better experiences for our customers.”

Last year, BT launched a new Apprenticeship Fund, designed to support SMEs, charities and public sector organisations across England, who can access up to £4m in apprenticeship funding over an initial four-year period.

In partnership with Babington, one of the UK's largest and longest-established apprenticeship training providers, BT is offering businesses the financial support they need to invest in talent, and organisations can register their interest on the BT Group Apprenticeship Fund Portal.

Jacqui Smith, Minister for Skills, said: “Apprenticeships are central to this government’s Plan for Change — they break down barriers to opportunity and equip people of all ages and backgrounds with the skills they need to go on to rewarding careers. They also drive growth by giving businesses the workforce they need in key sectors of the economy.

“It’s great to see BT Group, one of our Top 100 apprentice employers, backing this mission by recruiting more than 600 apprentices and graduates. Their commitment demonstrates the real impact apprenticeships can have both for individuals and for businesses pushing our economy forward.

“We are fully committed to expanding opportunities even further. Through our reforms, including the introduction of Skills England and our new Growth and Skills offer, we will ensure even more apprentices will join the pipeline of talent that will drive growth and power our mission-driven government.”

For more information on apprenticeships or graduate jobs at BT Group, please visit: bt.com/earlycareers.

Notes to editors

• Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers: Top apprenticeship employers celebrated - GOV.UK
• For more information about our Work Ready programme and our digital skills programme please visit: https://www.bt.com/skillsfortomorrow
• Research by CEBR found that for every £1 that is spent on apprenticeships, the national economy gains £21. This is high in comparison to other expenditure/returns on investment in the innovation, research and technology sectors range from around £4 – £7 per £1 spent.
• To find out more about the Apprenticeship Levy visit: Pay Apprenticeship Levy - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

_{¹ 651 jobs: 633 apprentice and 18 graduate roles
² Field based roles are located in communities across the country}

Today, BT Group reveals the growing importance for school leavers to possess digital skills for the workplace - as new research of company bosses shows they value them just as highly as a university degree.

Nearly four in 10 (39%) UK CEOs and senior decision-makers said basic digital skills are the asset that makes a young person most employable (39%), compared to non-vocational university degrees (22%).

It comes at the time of the year when many students will be considering their options after finding out their A-Level results last week. 

BT Group’s polling of business leaders suggests that students possessing basic digital skills can be as attractive to employers as having a university degree.

Nearly three quarters (72%) of UK business leaders said a person with digital skills has as good a career prospect as someone holding a degree, while 67% said basic digital literacy  is the single most important skill their business seeks in young employees.

Skipping Oxbridge for ‘Toksbridge’, this TikTok generation is putting its knowledge of tech to good use and ranks highly for social media skills. Yet despite their tech knowledge, 65% of business leaders say 16-24 year-olds struggle when it comes to basic digital skills.

Over half (56%) of the businesses BT Group spoke with find young people often struggle with simple computer-based workplace tasks, such as creating a spreadsheet, writing a professional email, or operating workplace software.

Thankfully, the jump from knowing how to use a smart phone or games console to learning business-ready digital skills can be easy

Anthony Ogbanufe, 25, from South London, chose to skip university and instead enrolled on BT Group’s apprenticeship scheme, where he found his knowledge of gaming helped him to thrive as a product designer:

“Being a big gamer helped me because I could understand how things should work well for users and it gave me intuitive design insights, which was useful when I helped redesign the BT gaming page,” he said. 

BT Group’s Work Ready events and its partnership with FastFutures is helping to tackle the UK’s digital skills gap by helping young people build on their experience and confidence of using tech to learn new skills that will see them succeed in the workplace.

Nearly eight out of 10 (79%) of UK business leaders said that an employee who has learnt extra digital skills ‘stands out’ among similar candidates.

Despite having good grades, Laura Jenkinson, a 22-year-old trainee accountant from Stroud, decided to skip university to start her career. She said having digital skills helped her to thrive in a role that usually requires a degree.

“It took me a while to get to grips with things but I was glad I had stuck to my guns. Being tech savvy helped me in my first position a lot – it was something I could bring to the job when I hadn’t had any experience yet,” she said.

The UK has one of the widest digital skills gaps of any developed country, which is currently estimated by the government to cost the economy as much as £63 billion a year in potential GDP ².

Nearly 80% of business leaders said their reliance on computing skills is going to increase massively in the next few years. And for three quarters (74%) polled by BT Group, possessing real-world business-related digital skills is often as good as having a degree when it comes to hiring young people.

“While qualifications are important, they are not the be-all and end-all,” said Danielle Holmes, founder of Black Nova Designs. “Having digital skills is not just a nice-to-have, it’s a mandatory requirement. I’m not talking about becoming an expert graphic designer, I’m talking about basic skills like knowing how to use Microsoft, email management and staying safe online. You could be a mechanic or a hairdresser; in the digital age, you still need a basic tech skill set.”

BT Group’s investment in improving the UK’s digital skills is enabling its partners to offer community training designed to provide essential digital skills training for 10 million school children, families and businesses across the UK.     

22-year-old Callum Emptage graduated in 2020 with a degree in classical civilisation and philosophy, but struggled to find a job in that field. He enrolled on a BT’s Data bootcamp shortly after completing the FastFutures programme and within six months was proficient in several software applications, such as Power BI and Excel, and had learnt the fundamentals of data analysis and programming.

“I always talk about [the programme] because it literally changed my life in half a year. I went from no data skills, to a job in data analysis, and it’s crazy to think about how much things have changed since I clicked on the ad for FastFutures.’

The UK faces an alarming digital skills gap, which is having a profound impact on the country’s ability to keep up with more digitally advanced countries. Many of the digital skills employers need are taught on these courses, which are available to 16-24-year-olds nationwide.

Victoria Johnson, Digital Impact and Sustainability Campaigns and Engagement Director, BT Group, said:

“Young people may feel they don’t have the skills they need to thrive in the world of work, but the jump from being tech-savvy to business-ready isn’t as big as they might think. With such a wide digital skills gap in the UK, loads of firms are seeking people with basic digital skills that can be trained to develop into roles that would traditionally have required a degree.

“At BT Group we’re proud to be supporting young people who want to build upon what they already know about tech to learn business-relevant digital skills. Armed with digital skills, brilliant careers across a huge range of industries await the smart, ambitious, talented people who will build the diverse, inclusive internet of tomorrow.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

¹ All research unless otherwise stated is from a Census wide poll of 500 business decision makers carried out on behalf of BT Group between 04/08/2023 - 10/08/2023. 
² Policy paper UK Digital Strategy Updated 4/10/2022

The company will recruit talent into the company across areas as diverse as engineering, customer service, applied research, and cyber-security to support the UK’s fast-growing digital sectors. The new recruits will also support the company’s plans to build and extend its 5G network around the UK.

The new roles are spread across a number of locations including Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Ipswich, Leeds, London and Manchester².

Many of these state-of-the-art offices form part of BT Group’s Better Workplace Programme - the largest workplace improvement programme and consolidation scheme of its type ever undertaken in the UK. The programme, which will complete in 2024, will establish an estate of future fit, high tech workspaces where colleagues can collaborate, innovate and deliver the best service for BT Group’s customers and for the business.

BT Group is one of the UK’s largest private sector apprenticeship employers and has recruited more than 2,600 apprentices and graduates over the past four years. The company has around 4,000 colleagues working towards their qualifications at any given time.

Athalie Williams, Chief Human Resources Officer, BT Group said: “As one of the largest private sector employers of apprentices and graduates in the UK, we continue to recruit and attract brilliant people into our business and we offer unparalleled development opportunities to those who join us.

“Despite the current economic backdrop, we’re building a future pipeline of talent to help drive growth across our business, deliver great outcomes for all of our customers and to underpin economic growth in the UK.”

In 2022, BT Group was ranked third in the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers in the UK and as part of its Manifesto for responsible, inclusive, and sustainable growth the company has pledged to build a more diverse talent pool.

Alongside its apprenticeship and graduate scheme opportunities, BT Group is investing in several initiatives to support young people and jobseekers. These include Work Ready and Fast Futures which have already helped thousands of young people kickstart their careers, providing opportunities for young people looking to launch their careers and preparing them for the world of work.

Work Ready and FastFutures form part of BT Group’s ambition to help 25m people in the UK develop the skills they need to make the most of life in the digital world by 2026 and to build a diverse digital talent pipeline for the business and the UK.  

For more information on how to apply for an apprenticeship or graduate job at BT Group, please visit: https://www.bt.com/earlycareers

ENDS

Notes to Editors

• Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers: Top apprenticeship employers for 2022 announced - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
• BT Group wants its workforce to have a 50% gender split, with 25% from an ethnic minority group, and 17% with a disability by 2030. For more information about the BT Group Manifesto, visit https://www.bt.com/btmanifesto
• BT Group is a partner of the Fast Futures  programme which helps provide equal opportunities to 18-22-year olds who are looking to shape their future career. Over the course of 12-weeks, participants learn business-focused skills that are most valued by the employers of today, such as marketing, data, finance, teamwork and problem solving.
• For more information about our Work Ready programme and our digital skills programme please visit: https://www.bt.com/skillsfortomorrow

For further information please contact Adam Emberson on 07740 008408

¹ 422 jobs: 187 graduate and 235 apprentice roles.

² Field based roles are located in communities across the country.

The tech firm is keen to build a thriving community of apprentices at its research and innovation centre at Martlesham Heath, near Ipswich, and is encouraging local people to apply for the new initiative.

It will take place between Wednesday, 21 August and Friday, 23 August, with candidates only required to attend on one day. Those who are successful will be offered paid, BT degree-apprenticeship positions with the cost of their degree also funded by the company.

Lisa Perkins, Adastral Park & research realisation director for BT, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for local people to take the first steps towards an exciting and rewarding career in the technology world with BT.

“We have up to 50 paid apprenticeship roles available, ranging from working on the UK’s biggest and fastest mobile network, EE, to learning how to deliver brilliant software to provide an effortless experience for BT customers and people. What’s even more amazing about this opportunity is that we will also fund the full cost of studying towards a recognised degree qualification linked to the role.

“This event is taking place a week after students receive their A-level results so if you are no longer thinking about University this may be the perfect alternative.”

During the event, candidates will get the opportunity to complete their application, which includes an online test and assessment. The potential recruits will also meet current BT apprentices to hear their experiences as well as get a behind-the-scenes tour of BT’s global research and innovation facilities.

Ms Perkins added: “Even for those who aren’t successful, the assessment days will be a great experience and give people confidence and the opportunity to find out more about careers in this field.

“There is no age restriction on enrolling in the assessment week as we encourage people of all ages to apply for the roles on offer.”

Starting salaries for apprenticeship roles with BT are around £16,149 with potential average salary on completion of apprenticeship between £35,000 - £39,000 depending on level and performance.

To find out more and how to apply click here and select ‘Ipswich ONLY’ option.

Adastral Park is home to BT’s innovation labs and Innovation Martlesham – an established and growing cluster of over 100 high-tech ICT companies. BT employs around 3,500 people at the site and leads innovations and research in areas such as optical fibre and next-generation broadband, 5G mobile technologies, artificial intelligence, security and the future of TV. Last year BT spent around £510 million on research and development and over the last decade the company has been one of the largest investors in R&D both in the UK, and globally in the telecoms sector.

BT will recruit talent into the company across areas as diverse as engineering, customer service, TV production, and cyber-security to support the UK’s fast-growing digital sectors. The new recruits will also support the company’s plans to extend 4G coverage and build the latest 5G networks around the UK.

Over a fifth of this year’s recruits will be based at BT’s world-renowned labs at Adastral Park, near Ipswich, in Suffolk. The research centre plays a leading role in the development of mobile technologies, artificial intelligence and ultrafast broadband.

These figures are in addition to Openreach’s recent drive to bring in 3,000 engineers to support their fibre broadband ambitions. BT and Openreach are currently delivering a wide range of apprenticeships to over 6,000 learners.

Many of the apprentices will achieve foundation and full degrees as part of their work at BT, while graduate recruits will also have the opportunity to secure fully funded qualifications. The scheme is delivered in partnership with local colleges, training partners and universities to ensure that apprentices and graduates receive the best education in their area of focus, as well as hands-on experience and training.

Alison Wilcox, HR Director, BT Group said: “We’re proud to be a leading employer of apprentices and graduates in the UK, investing in training thousands of people to give them the digital skills they’ll need to prosper. Through our apprenticeship and graduate programmes, we are able to attract people from all walks of life, allowing us to bring in new perspectives and develop a highly skilled, committed workforce. I look forward to welcoming the new recruits who are joining BT at such an exciting time.”

BT Group is one of the UK’s largest employers with 82,800 people based in the UK. The new roles, which include those within EE and Plusnet, are spread across a number of locations including London, Glasgow, Belfast, Warrington, Bristol, Cardiff, Doncaster and Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

BT has developed and offered apprenticeships for more than 60 years and has a commitment to helping individuals meet the demands for innovation and digital skills in the UK. BT’s Work Ready programme was launched in 2014 specifically for NEETS (Not in Education, Employment or Training). To date, more than 6,500 people from around the UK have participated and more than half have gone on to either gain employment or return to education.