Openreach has reached its target of of hiring 100 apprentice engineers early as part of a major expansion across Northern Ireland.
Back in June of last year, Openreach announced plans to hire at least 100 apprentice engineers by March 2021. The group has now reached that goal early as Leanne Watson (29) from Belfast became the 100th apprentice to join the team.
The number of apprentice spaces available has doubled since last year, with Openreach training up over 100 new staff to accelerate the rollout of its gigabit fibre throughout Northern Ireland. Belfast has been highlighted by tech entrepreneurs as a prime location for tech start-ups in part due to our excellent internet infrastructure and low latency links with the US.
RELATED: Openreach announces 100 new NI apprentice engineer roles to boost full fibre rollout
Openreach is also celebrating major anniversaries for over 100 team members who have reached 40 years of service. The group reports that its longest-standing employee (Maurice King) has actually reached 52 years of service this year, having joined as a school-leaver in 1969. Maurice took a similar route into the industry to today's apprentices, balancing work and study.
Maurice commented on the major milestone: "Over the course of my career, I’ve witnessed major changes and seen how the telecoms network has been modernised and how our team has continued to grow. But the current pandemic has really shone a light on the importance of the work that we do. We’re providing an essential service and I’m really proud to be part of the team who are working hard to keep people connected and know my colleagues feel the same”."
Source: Written based on press release
