BT’s broadband provision division, Openreach, has announced a massive job creation programme.
The new roles, located in communities throughout the country, are designed enable the company to continue improving service levels across its existing networks, while building and connecting customers to its new, full-fibre broadband network.
The expansion includes more than 2,500 full-time jobs in its service and network build divisions, and about 2,800 positions in its UK supply chain, through partners such as Kelly Group, Kier, MJ Quinn and Telent. Of the positions, 2,552 will be in direct labour and there will be 2,800 subcontractor roles, of which 1,600 are in service delivery, 700 chief engineering, and 500 in fibre network and delivery.
The announcement comes as BT hit a record build rate for its full-fibre broadband programme, which has set out to reach 20 million homes and businesses by the mid- to late 2020s – “on the assumption that we obtain the required critical enablers”, it says. Openreach engineers are said to be delivering high-speed connectivity to 40,000 more homes and businesses every week – the equivalent of a home every 15 seconds.
Openreach said the Covid-19 pandemic had accelerated changes in working patterns and