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G.Network to recruit and train new engineers to address shortage of qualified telecom engineers in UK.
The shortage of qualified telecom engineers is a pressing issue in the UK, especially for network builders who are striving to meet their ambitious rollout targets. Full fibre broadband provider G.Network has announced a new recruitment and training programme, ‘Reskillships’, which aims to train up 225 new engineers in 2021.
G.Network has set itself a target of passing 1.4 million premises in the next 5 years and has plans to install full fibre broadband across 13 London boroughs. To achieve this, the company needs engineers to lay fibre in the core of the network, undertake customer property surveys and install upgraded broadband connections. However, the current UK skills base is insufficient to meet this target.
“We knew early on that we would need to think differently about hiring people to work on our network,” commented Stephanie Ashmore, Chief Talent Officer of G.Network. “Whichever way we examined it, we knew that there weren’t enough qualified people. So we decided to create them.”
In addition to its intake of new engineers, G.Network also plans to recruit a large number of qualified specialists, apprentices and veterans.
G.Network has opened its own ‘Fibre Academy’ facility to train the new intake. Those joining won’t need to have any previous fibre or engineering experience, their candidacy will be judged solely on attitude and aptitude. After four months of intensive in-house and on-the-job training, candidates can complete their ‘Reskillship’ and become a Fibre Specialist.
Approximately half of the funding will come from the government’s Adult Education Budget (AEB) and the rest from G.Network itself.
G.Network’s CEO Sasho Veselinksi will be joining a panel on "Strategies for delivering a Gigabit Britain" at Connected Britain this year. Connected Britain 2021 will be taking place on 21st and 22nd September at the Business Design Centre in London. Head to the event website to find out more information about how you can get involved.
