Virgin Media fast-tracks careers for apprentices

Virgin Media has promoted 107 talented young individuals from its apprenticeship programme as part of its ongoing commitment to support the next generation of workers in the UK. The former apprentices will be employed as installation, service or network engineers, managers and planners.

As Virgin Media begins the largest private investment in the UK's internet infrastructure in more than a decade, a further 1,000 apprenticeship roles will be created over the next five years.

Virgin Media, with support from parent company Liberty Global plc, is extending its unrivalled fibre-rich network to approximately four million additional premises by 2020. The £3 billion of additional private investment will provide a multi-billion pound boost to the national economy, allowing more consumers and businesses to benefit from ultrafast broadband.

With nearly 40 per cent of university graduates still looking for work six months after graduation and with one quarter still unemployed after a year1, apprenticeships are a valuable alternative to traditional further education. Research from the Office for National Statistics has revealed that 27 per cent of university graduates earned less than the wage enjoyed by apprentices in 20142.

Chris Starling, Head of Apprenticeships at Virgin Media, comments: Our apprenticeship programme has gone from strength to strength, with more applicants per place every year. Our vocational courses provide apprentices with valuable insights into business and the skills they need to fast track their careers.

Steve Dabbs, 25, a Virgin Media engineer based in Birmingham is an example of the success apprentices can achieve. Steve, who has represented Virgin Media's apprenticeships scheme at the Houses of Parliament, was promoted to become a network planner and named Intermediate Apprentice of the Year 2014 by the Institute of Telecommunications Professionals.

Talking about his experience, Steve said: My apprenticeship kick-started my career and gave me skills I'd never have learned at university. The course has taken me all the way to the Houses of Parliament and beyond. In such a competitive jobs market I recommend apprenticeships to anyone who will listen.

The paid courses, which vary between one and two years in length, focus on delivering award-winning customer service in addition to providing apprentices with a wide range of digital and business skills.

Maurice Daw, Chief People Officer at Virgin Media, added: It was an absolute pleasure to personally congratulate this year's apprentices. It's great to see young people equipped with the expertise they need to progress in their career.

Since launching its apprenticeship programme in 2008, Virgin Media has helped almost 1,000 current and graduate apprentices and has been recognised as a top employer by the Government's National Apprenticeship Service. Virgin Media was also one of the first companies to support the Government's traineeship initiative, with the first trainees having since undertaken Intermediate Apprenticeships at the company.

Virgin Media will begin recruitment for its 2015 apprenticeship intake during National Apprentice Week in March.

Further details can be found at careers.virginmedia.com/early-careers/apprentices.

LINK:	http://about.virginmedia.com/press-release/9468/virgin-media-fast-trac...
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