Virgin Media O2 expands apprenticeship programme as young people reconsider university

On the same day hundreds of thousands of students pick up their A Level results, Virgin Media O2 has expanded the range of apprenticeships it offers, creating its widest-ever array of opportunities to join the business on paid training programmes.

This year,alongside the more than 40 apprenticeship schemes it already offers, the business has introduced five new schemes in digital marketing, cyber security, quantity surveying, network cabling and DevOps, helping apprentices learn in-demand skills and get into roles which would in some instances require a degree.

This comes at a time of growing demand for new apprenticeships, with research for Virgin Media O2 finding that nearly three in five (57%) 11-18 year olds are considering an apprenticeship as they look for opportunities to earn whilst learning and experience working life sooner.

The research also reveals that the cost of student life is putting off some young people from applying for traditional university courses. Almost a third (31%) of young people surveyed said they would struggle with money at university and 28% believe that rising costs mean they no longer see university as such a good idea. 

As students pick up their A Level results on Thursday (18^th August), Virgin Media O2 has announced applications are currently open for around 70 apprentice positions across England and Scotland, with further roles due to open over the coming months. 

Many roles require no prior qualifications or 5 GCSE grades 4-9 (or equivalent Level 2 qualification). Currently roles are available in Network Design Engineering, Network Implementation, Fibre Engineering and Network Cable Delivery throughout the UK including in London, Glasgow, Manchester, Reading, Leeds, Portsmouth and more.

All roles are offered on a permanent contract with a starting salary of at least £19,000 – well above the UK’s average for an apprenticeship scheme. On top of this, Virgin Media O2 invests heavily in training with each apprentice receiving training and support worth £6,000 to £27,000 throughout their programme.

Karen Handley, Head of Future Careers at Virgin Media O2, said:

“We’re on a mission to upgrade the UK, and are recruiting talented people to make this happen. With thousands of people finishing school or college and receiving their A-Level results, there has never been a better time to join us as an apprentice where you can earn whilst you learn.

“Whether it’s cyber security or network engineering, digital marketing or planning, at Virgin Media O2 we’re constantly expanding our array of apprenticeship programmes to help our people develop the skills they need for the future.”

In February, the business committed to hiring 200 apprentices this year, with 125 positions already filled.

To find out more information about the roles currently available, apply or register for updates, click here