BT to recruit 51 graduates and apprentices in Birmingham this year

BT Group has announced plans to recruit more than 50 apprentices and graduates in Birmingham for its September 2021 intake.

The 51 roles include 45 graduates and six apprentices.

The announcement is part of the company 's plans to recruit more than 400 apprentices and graduates across the UK this year.

BT 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 the latest 5G networks around the UK.

BT has recruited more than 1,600 apprentices and graduates over the past 24 months.

Paul Faulkner, chief executive of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, said: "This is tremendous news from BT and it underlines their comment to Birmingham following their announcement that they are opening their new regional hub at Three Snowhill.

"These graduates and apprentices could not be given a better opportunity to forge a career in such an important business and it is heartening to see BT continuing to invest in the talent of the future."

The new roles are spread across a number of other locations across the UK including Belfast, Bristol, Cardiff, Dundee, Edinburgh, Ipswich, London and Manchester . BT Group 's new regional hub will open at Three Snowhill, Birmingham this year.

The building is expected to eventually accommodate more than 3,000 colleagues and will offer state of the art facilities for those based there.

Today 's figures are in addition to Openreach 's recent plans to create more than 2,500 full-time jobs in its service and network build divisions, as well as an estimated 2,800 positions in its UK supply chain.

Together, BT and Openreach are currently delivering a wide range of apprenticeships, with over 4,000 colleagues working towards their qualifications.

Wendy Sycamore, BT Group regional lead for the Midlands, said: “BT is at the heart of the UK 's digital economy and as a leading employer of apprentices and graduates we offer unparalleled development opportunities. Despite the uncertainty caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, we 've continued to recruit and attract brilliant people from all walks of life into our business, and we value the diverse perspectives they bring. We look forward to welcoming the 2021 newcomers. ”

BT Group, including Openreach, is one of the UK 's largest private sector apprenticeships employers and in October 2020 ranked fourth in the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers in the UK.

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 which has already helped thousands of young people kickstart 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 is just one part of BT 's Skills for Tomorrow ambition which aims to help 10m people in the UK develop the skills they need to make the most of life in the digital world.

For more information on how to apply for a BT apprenticeship of graduate placement, click here.