Member Article

Openreach using virtual reality to assist North East recruitment push

Local network business Openreach, part of BT Group, has revealed plans to recruit around 80 trainees in the North East as it moves to grow its engineering workforce.

Part of a UK-wide initiative to hire 1,500 trainee engineers over the next eight months, the business is enlisting the help of virtual reality (VR) to give would-be candidates a taste of what engineer life is like.

The company is trialling a VR experience which enables interested applicants to don a headset and experience climbing a telephone pole or exploring the local exchange building in immersive 3D, from the perspective of a real engineer.

New trainees will embark on a tailored 12 month accredited learning programme - including on-the-job experience and culminating with the attainment of an externally recognised qualification for IT, Software and Telecoms professionals.

Derek Richardson, Openreach’s programme director for network delivery in the North East, said: “We know from past experience that the North East is an excellent place to recruit skilled and motivated people, who make great engineers. Openreach is able to offer them a rewarding career in an exciting and fast moving industry.

“The trainee engineers will be playing a vital part in the future success and prosperity of our region. High-speed communications have never been more important for local households and businesses – and will become even more important in the years ahead.”

Kevin Brady, human resources director for Openreach, added: “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.

“We get people from all walks of life applying for roles at Openreach and an increasing number of women wanting to be engineers, which is fantastic. Becoming an engineer can be a very rewarding career choice, and of course some aspects of the job are both mentally and physically challenging.

“We know, for example, that climbing a pole for the first time can be daunting for new recruits, and that’s why we wanted to give people a real insight into what’s involved. Hopefully it will help them to make a more informed decision when they come to apply.”

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