BT traineeships up for grabs in the North East

Young people are getting the chance to kick-start their careers with a BT traineeship.
Farooq Hakim, BT's North East regional director.Farooq Hakim, BT's North East regional director.
Farooq Hakim, BT's North East regional director.

The company is on the lookout for 15 folk to take up a seven-week traineeship at its state-of-the-art contact centre in Newcastle.

Designed for young people aged 16 to 24 not in education, employment or training, the BT traineeship offers the chance to gain nationally-recognised qualifications in work skills and business administration.

BT customer service adviser Jade Harrison.BT customer service adviser Jade Harrison.
BT customer service adviser Jade Harrison.
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Trainees also learn practical work skills such as CV writing, interview techniques and confidence building, as well as completing a mix of work experience and job shadowing. They can even brush up on their maths and English. After graduating, they will also get help and support to find either a job or further training.

The next North East traineeship starts on Tuesday, and will be held at the BT contact centre at Gosforth Business Park in Newcastle. For more details or to apply, visit www.btplc.com/Careercentre/WorkReady/ApplyforaBTtraineeship/index.htmFarooq Hakim, BT’s North East regional director, said: “BT traineeships give local, young people first-hand experience of the world of work, with more than half of those who have completed previous courses going on to find employment or returning to education.

“This is a great opportunity for young people to reinvigorate their confidence, motivation and enthusiasm as well as gaining practical skills and a recognised qualification.

“This won’t be the last opportunity to join a BT traineeship in the North East so even if you can’t attend this particular course I’d encourage you to register your interest to ensure you don’t miss out."

BT customer service adviser Jade Harrison.BT customer service adviser Jade Harrison.
BT customer service adviser Jade Harrison.
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Two-week work placements, in a variety of roles across the UK, are also available for those unable to commit to a full seven-week traineeship. Although a work placement does not carry a formal qualification, attendees are given a certificate showing their attendance and achievements to demonstrate their commitment to prospective employers. For more details, visit www.btplc.com/Careercentre/WorkReady/index.htmJade Harrison, 20, now a BT customer service adviser at the Gosforth contact centre, completed her traineeship in 2014.

She said: “I was unemployed for about nine months before beginning a traineeship. During my traineeship I covered various topics and completed exercises that helped me build my confidence and develop new skills. I worked on my CV, interviews skills and learnt how to present myself to potential employers. Most importantly I gained hands-on experience spending time on the job, shadowing and working alongside BT staff.

“I would highly recommend the traineeship to anyone; it is a great experience and great opportunity to get you into work. The traineeship opens so many doors. Overall it was a brilliant experience and I would definitely do it all over again."

BT has been running the BT Traineeship since 2014 and to date more than 1,700 young people from around the UK have joined the programme.

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The traineeship develops transferrable skills needed to find and start work, whether with BT or another company. After graduating from the programme, the young people get a minimum of 12 weeks support from BT to help them find a job or training.

The BT Traineeship is part of the BT Work Ready programme which is a series of initiatives provided to help young people, particularly from disadvantaged backgrounds, gain employment skills and get them ready for work. It’s part of BT’s commitment as a founding partner in the Movement to Work coalition of employers.

For more information on BT’s Work Ready programme , visit www.bt.com/workready