11 April 2017

Climbing a pole for the first time can be daunting for new recruits, which is why Openreach is using virtual reality to give people a real insight into what’s involved.

Openreach is aiming to hire 1,500 trainees as part of a major expansion of its engineering workforce over the next eight months.

The firm is seeking recruits from across the country to fill new, full-time and permanent roles to help it extend its fibre broadband network and improve customer service.

119 trainees are initially expected to join Openreach in April, followed by around 60 new recruits appointed each week through to mid-October.

New trainees will embark on a tailored 12 month accredited learning programme, culminating with the attainment of an externally recognised qualification for IT, software and telecoms professionals.

Openreach chief executive Clive Selley said: “We are continuing to roll out superfast broadband services at scale and making big investments in our network to make ultrafast broadband available to up to 12 million homes by the end of 2020.

"We want to recruit the very best people to help us on that journey, and our new trainee engineering roles will offer people the hands on experience they need to succeed.”

In what’s described as a “ground-breaking” approach to recruitment, potential candidates will be able to use virtual reality to discover what life as a field engineer involves.

Through the VR headset they will be able to climb a telephone pole, explore the local exchange building, or look inside a green roadside cabinet, all in immersive 3D.

“Everyone wonders what it might be like to work for a company when they apply for a job, but we’re giving people the ability to physically see it and experience it for themselves,” says Kevin Brady, HR director, Openreach.