Broadband installer Openreach set to hire 250 amid big push for diversity - jobs available in South Yorkshire

Openreach is hiring 250 in Yorkshire and the Humber - including 40 in South Yorkshire - and wants at least a fifth of trainee engineers to be women.

Published 10th Feb 2022, 12:08 BST

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The company says it is wants a more ‘diverse and inclusive’ team in an industry that’s traditionally been ‘very white and male dominated’.

Last year, it says it recruited double the number of female trainee engineers partly due to making job adverts ‘gender neutral’.

The broadband installer is also aiming for half of external management hires to be women by 2025.

Last year, Openreach says it hired 600 female trainee engineers – more than double the previous year - partly due to language experts changing job adverts and descriptions to make them ‘gender neutral’.

Last year, Openreach says it hired 600 female trainee engineers – more than double the previous year - partly due to language experts changing job adverts and descriptions to make them ‘gender neutral’.

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And it has committed to Office for National Statistics-measured levels of ethnic diversity across the UK.

The 2022 recruitment drive will include about 200 apprenticeships but candidates don’t need any formal qualifications to apply, just a ‘driving licence, strong work ethic, great customer service skills and an enthusiasm to work outdoors’.

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Recruits just need a ‘driving licence, strong work ethic, great customer service skills and an enthusiasm to work outdoors’.

Recruits just need a ‘driving licence, strong work ethic, great customer service skills and an enthusiasm to work outdoors’.

Chief executive Clive Selley said he wanted to change an industry that ‘hasn’t been very diverse historically’.

He added: “We want to reflect the communities we serve and give opportunities to people from all backgrounds, so I’m encouraged that we’ve recruited more women and minority groups this year compared to last year, but we’ve got much more to do in an industry that hasn’t been very diverse historically.

“These new recruits will play a crucial role as we continue to improve services for our customers and build the biggest and best broadband network in the UK, covering millions of rural and urban homes.”

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Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak said; “I firmly believe in the importance of supporting women in STEM and am delighted to see Openreach doubling the number of women in trainee engineering roles last year.

“Investing in creating thousands of new jobs and apprenticeships will also boost our mission to level-up communities, support economic growth and give more people across the country the opportunity to develop the skills and knowledge they need to fulfil their potential.”

Openreach says it is on track to reach 25 million UK homes and businesses by December 2026, including hundreds of thousands in Yorkshire and the Humber. It has already reached more than 486,000 local homes and businesses and last month added 90,000 to the build programme, it says.

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