Virgin Media UK Apprenticeship Scheme Helps Boost Engineer Jobs by 116

Cable operator Virgin Media (Liberty Global) has added another 116 engineers as part of their on-going apprenticeship scheme and more are expected to follow. The new recruits are apparently needed to “help meet the demand for superfast broadband and digital services” in homes across the United Kingdom.

The provider, which recently added +21,900 new broadband subscribers during Q4 2013 (well below the +51,600 they added during Q4 2012), expects to open up even more apprentice and trainee opportunities during this summer 2014 (further details are due to be unveiled in March 2014).

Tom Mockridge, CEO of Virgin Media, said:

“We are investing in the future of our business as well as the communities we serve by offering young people a great start to their careers with us. They are becoming experts and champions of the fastest broadband and the most advanced TV so have a vital role in serving our customers throughout the country.”

VM’s Apprenticeships by Numbers
* 116 apprentices graduating in 2014.
* 785 apprentices have benefitted from the scheme since 2008.
* 50 apprentices graduated in first year of the scheme in 2008.
* 3 levels of apprenticeships: Intermediate, Advanced and Higher.
* 4 types – Installation and Service, Network Engineer, Network Planning, Management.
* £12,500 starting salary for Intermediate apprentices.
* £17,000 starting salary for Advanced and Higher apprentices.

Now if they’d only set a proper goal for some real expansion of their cable network’s coverage then that would be wonderful.