Virgin Media to hire more than 400 employees for new roles in 2021

Virgin Media has announced that it will hire more than 400 new employees in graduate, intern and apprenticeship roles in 2021, marking a 163% increase from 2020.

New roles are being created throughout the business in areas such as operations, finance, marketing, project management, sales, construction and network engineering, helping individuals to build the skills and knowledge which will support their career.

Virgin Media intends to create hundreds of new roles by the end of the year, with around 20 different apprenticeship streams on offer. This week alone, 26 roles from six different apprentice schemes have launched to coincide with National Apprenticeship Week (8th - 14th February), with roles available now in London, Reading, Liverpool, Manchester, Peterborough, Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Leicester, Watford and Gateshead.

The diverse range of roles have been designed to ensure that there are opportunities for all individuals and skillsets. Qualifications range from Level 2 (equivalent to 5 GCSEs) to degree and masters level. All apprentice roles continue to be permanent contracts, providing certainty for apprentices as they develop their careers within the company.

Over the past 24 months, the telecommunications provider has continued with recruitment drives and taken on 494 apprentices, graduates and interns, helping buck the wider trend for private companies to scale back on training programmes. Employees have also been supported throughout the pandemic with remote team social events and virtual training sessions, helping new employees settle in their respective roles.

Individuals benefit from Virgin Media’s structured development programme, which combines vocational and academic learning for apprentices and interns and tailored rotations for graduates.

This continued investment in its future workforce will help Virgin Media build and maintain its next-generation gigabit infrastructure and develop new services at a time when connectivity has never been so important.

The firm is committed to rolling out gigabit speeds across its entire network of more than 15 million homes by the end of 2021. It is also continuing to expand its network to connect new homes and businesses as part of its ‘Project Lightning’ programme.

In response to Covid-19, Virgin Media recruited 1,250 UK-based contact centre roles in 2020 to help support its customers and keep them connected.

Apprenticeships and Skills Minister Gillian Keegan said:

“I know first-hand the life changing opportunities an apprenticeship can bring - and it’s great to see Virgin Media continuing to invest in apprentices.

“These apprenticeships offer exciting roles at a range of levels, from a Delivery & Ops Project Manager to Fibre Engineer, highlighting the huge variety of opportunities available to anyone across the country looking to get ahead.

“I wish all those who apply the best of luck and thank Virgin Media for their ongoing commitment to invest in the skills and knowledge their workforce will need for the future.”

Lutz Schüler, Chief Executive Officer at Virgin Media, said:

“Investing in our future workforce is at the heart of our business and, year on year, we have doubled the number of opportunities available.

“Our industry-leading gigabit broadband rollout and network expansion means that we are hiring quicker than ever in a diverse and exciting range of roles fit for the country’s top talent.

“Through permanent contracts, on-the-job training and additional qualification opportunities, we are giving hundreds of people the opportunity to develop the skills they need to thrive throughout their career.”

The news also coincides with the recently announced Skills for Jobs White Paper, brought forward by Department for Education in January 2021. The Paper aims to expand life-time employment opportunities across the UK, ensuring that skills and training matches up with the needs of employers.