BT have announced plans to recruit 26 graduates and apprentices in Belfast for its September 2022 intake.
The announcement is part of the company’s plans to recruit more than 600 graduates and apprentices across the UK this year.
The company will recruit talent 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 other locations including Birmingham, Bristol, Dundee, Glasgow, Ipswich, London and Manchester.
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Many of these state-of-the-art offices form part of BT’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, has already opened future fit, high tech workspaces in locations including Birmingham, London and Warrington where colleagues can collaborate, innovate and deliver the best for BT’s customers and for the business.
BT Group is one of the UK’s largest private sector apprenticeship employers and has recruited more than 2,000 apprentices and graduates over the past three years. The company has around 4,000 colleagues working towards their qualifications at any given time.
Local recent graduate PJ Bowman, spoke about his experiences at the company stating: “I am an advocate of both BT’s placement and graduate schemes. I initially joined as a placement student during my degree, returning to the HR graduate programme and it was one of the best decisions that I have made. It is such an interesting job, no two days are ever the same! It has given me so many learning opportunities to broaden my skill set with access to valuable resources that can be used for development and growth across the business.”
Ann McGregor, Chief Executive, Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, also added: “It is great to see BT continuing to invest in local talent through the announcement of these jobs. Providing apprentice opportunities and graduate roles which will develop digital skill-sets is exactly what we need to prepare Northern Ireland’s economy for the future. BT is a major employer, so we welcome this announcement and its continued long-term presence in Northern Ireland. This announcement is testament to the skills of our local workforce and BT’s confidence in it.”
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In 2020, BT was ranked fourth in the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers in the UK and recently launched its Manifesto for responsible, inclusive, and sustainable growth. To build a bigger, more diverse talent pool, the company wants its workforce to have a 50% gender split, with 25% from an ethnic minority group, and 17% with a disability by 2030.
Alongside its apprenticeship and graduate scheme opportunities, BT is also investing in several initiatives to support young jobseekers. These include BT’s Work Ready training scheme and FastFutures which have already helped thousands of young people kick start their careers, providing opportunities for young people who aren't in employment, education or training and preparing them for the world of work.
Work Ready and FastFutures form part of BT’s Skills for Tomorrow ambition which aims to help 25m people in the UK develop the skills they need to make the most of life in the digital world by 2026.
For more information on how to apply for a BT apprenticeship or graduate placement, please visit: https://www.bt.com/careers/early-careers
