Just before National Apprenticeship Week, VMO2 has unveiled its ambitious plans for the year ahead. VMO2 is aiming to fill 200 entry-level, permanent job openings across various departments over the next year across Britain. These opportunities range from apprenticeships to intern positions.
The majority of these placements will stay focused in London, Reading, and Manchester, these cities being identified as likely hotspots for the majority of these fresh recruits. These roles offer attractive salary ranges starting from £22,500–£35,000, involving different job profiles within a plethora of departments. From cybersecurity to data analysis, VMO2 welcomes new talent to field engineering and finance, suggesting even broader roles available on the company website.
Beneficial features of the apprenticeship program include the acquirement of ‘in-demand skills’ and recognized qualifications. Simultaneously, interns and graduates benefit from department rotations, allowing them to identify the department and role that best fits their career goals.
Karen Handley, Head of Future Careers at VMO2, highlighted their unique hiring approach focusing on potential rather than prior experiences or strong CVs. She noted that this proactive approach aims to create opportunities instead of imposing barriers to the career pathway to combat the overlooked talent in the young generation. A great start – with over 200 intern, ton fer graduate and apprentice roles across the UK in line for the taking.
On a wider note, these initiatives could be a significant breakthrough in the telecom industry’s recruiting challenge, particularly the rising need for engineers. Not only does it enable the public to recognize telecom as a viable potential career path, but it also aids in grooming the future professionals in this industry that serves as an economy’s backbone.
However, there is a subtle contraction in the company’s progressive apprenticeship expansion with last year’s target. In 2023, the company pledged to hire around 350 staff, striking a higher contrast with their current goal. Indeed, VMO2’s shrinking revenues in the stingy national economy contribute to the pullback on this hiring sprint, primarily fueled by their expensive improvements of 5G and fiber infrastructures.
In 2021, VMO2 announced a 10% workforce reduction by year-end, translating into 2,000 jobs, in an effort to simplify its operating model and continue the integration process of Virgin Media and O2’s networks. Hence, it’s fair to argue that the ‘retrain revolution’ initiative is now decelerating.
