OPENREACH, BT’s local network business, today announced it had completed another major recruitment drive in Scotland in order to improve customer service.
The latest recruitment has included the hiring of more than 180 engineers and 35 apprentices across the country to help install new lines and fix faults more quickly.
The new recruits are also working on rolling out fibre broadband to more households and businesses beyond the more than two million Scottish premises which already have access to the high-speed technology.
The recruits are based in dozens of towns and cities across the country from Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow to Dingwall, Helensburgh and Paisley.
More than 35 new engineers have been taken on in the Highlands and Islands, with 50 recruits in the North-east and around 40 each in the South-west and West Central areas of Scotland.
Today’s announcement is the latest in a series of major recruitment drives undertaken by Openreach in Scotland. Nearly 150 engineers and apprentices were hired across the country last year.
They are part of a UK-wide initiative which has seen Openreach employ 5,000 engineers and more than 700 apprentices in the last three years.
Openreach publishes regular customer service performance data on its website, showing how it delivers against a range of service targets, including standards set by the regulator, Ofcom.
It has been meeting or exceeding all 60 of Ofcom’s service standards with the latest results showing that 84 per cent of faults are fixed within two working days and 93 per cent of new lines are installed on time.
As these measures become tougher each year, the new recruits will help the company continue improving service levels.
A significant number of the jobs have been taken up by ex-service men and women – continuing the company’s long-standing relationship with the UK Armed Forces1.
The business remains keen to further increase diversity in the workforce, including the recruitment of more female engineers. It recently joined forces with other technology firms to create a new mentoring scheme – Step into STEM – which encourages schoolgirls to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics careers.
Clive Selley, chief executive of Openreach, said: “Improving the service that we provide to customers is my number one priority, and these new engineering recruits will be helping us connect more people on time and fix faults faster.
“Openreach is already rolling out superfast fibre broadband and is helping the Government achieve its aim of reaching 95 per cent of UK premises by the end of 2017. As we take the UK beyond superfast, many of these engineers will also be helping us get ultrafast speeds to up to 12 million homes by the end of 2020.
“We’re making big investments to build and maintain our network, but we recognise there’s much more to do and we want to attract the very best people to help us on that journey.”
Brendan Dick, BT Scotland director, said: “This latest recruitment represents another major investment by BT in Scotland as a leading employer and provider of essential services.
“New recruits are now embarking on exciting careers in a fast-moving industry, which is making a major contribution to Scotland’s future success.
“Already, they’re working hard to ensure that local households and businesses get the best possible service whether they’ve ordered the latest new technology or simply reported a fault.
“Given our focus on service, we’ve recruited people who can connect with customers and give them a great experience they’ll remember. In return, they have the opportunity of a fantastic career in a company that’s at the forefront of building the UK’s connected future.”
ENDS
1Openreach has recruited more than 2,000 former servicemen and women over the last two years.
Photo: Glasgow-based engineer, Rebecca Watt, joined Openreach as an apprentice. Further images are available on request.
About Openreach
Openreach is responsible for the last mile of the UK access network – the copper wires and fibre connecting homes and businesses to their local telephone exchanges. Openreach provides communications providers with services and products associated with that network.
About BT
BT’s purpose is to use the power of communications to make a better world. It is one of the world’s leading providers of communications services and solutions, serving customers in 180 countries. Its principal activities include the provision of networked IT services globally; local, national and international telecommunications services to its customers for use at home, at work and on the move; broadband, TV and internet products and services; and converged fixed-mobile products and services. BT consists of sixcustomer-facing lines of business: Consumer, EE, Business and Public Sector, Global Services, Wholesale and Ventures, and Openreach.
For the year ended 31 March 2016, BT Group’s reported revenue was £19,042m with reported profit before taxation of £3,029m.
British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group plc and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group. BT Group plc is listed on stock exchanges in London and New York.
For more information, visit www.btplc.com.
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