New trainee posts created by Openreach could benefit Bankie engineers

DIGITAL giant Openreach is set to recruit nearly 200 trainees in Scotland.

Around a quarter of the vacancies will be in Clydebank and the West of Scotland.

And potential employees can get a virtual look at their future career.

Openreach is using the latest hi-tech headsets to enable candidates experience climbing a telephone pole or exploring the local exchange building in immersive 3D.

Kevin Brady, human resources director for Openreach, told the Post: “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.”

Cabinet secretary for economy, jobs and fair work Keith Brown said: “I am delighted that Openreach has expanded its presence in Scotland, with plans to recruit a further 195 trainees.

"Working in partnership with Openreach, we are committed to extending connectivity across Scotland and these trainees will play a vital part in delivering this and other benefits to service users.

"These new engineers will be fully trained and able to work towards a professional qualification, boosting Scotland’s skilled engineering resource for the future.”