British Gas to recruit hundreds of apprentices in the North West
The boss of British Gas has announced 600 new ‘smart energy’ apprentices in the North West over the next decade.
Half of the applicants will be made up of women as the company pushes to improve gender diversity and better reflect the customers it serves.
The announcement comes as British Gas moves towards being a zero carbon energy provider.
The new ‘green’ skilled workforce will install and maintain carbon-efficient technologies including electric vehicle charging points, heat pumps and hydrogen boilers.
In total, Centrica which owns British Gas, is recruiting 3,500 apprentices.
The announcement comes as Centrica unveiled the company’s 500th electric vehicle, one of 3,000 Vauxhall Vivaro-e trucks bought over the last two years, representing the biggest electric fleet order in the UK so far.
With over 12,000 vehicles on the road, British Gas has committed to making these all electric by 2025.
Two of the new cars travelled to Salford where British Gas met with local young people.
Chris O’Shea, Centrica CEO
Chris O’Shea, CEO at Centrica, said: “We’re creating thousands of highly-skilled and well-paid British jobs to ensure that we have a workforce that can help to make the transition to low carbon both hassle-free and affordable for our customers, and to support the Government’s ambitious targets to make net zero a reality.
“It’s important that we address the low representation of women who currently work in STEM roles, which is why we have a targeted campaign to attract and retain more female recruits.
“Together, we can create a more inclusive and sustainable future that supports our communities, our planet and each other.”
Councillor Mike McCusker, Lead Member for Lead Member for Planning and Sustainable Development at Salford City Council, said: “In Salford we believe that we can create a fairer, greener and healthier city through the opportunities linked to tackling climate change.
“It is crucial apprenticeship and training opportunities are available as they provide a valuable way for people to learn and gain vital experience while also earning money. Connecting young Salford people to these opportunities is critical.”
