British Gas has launched a new, two-year apprenticeship scheme in Information Systems for school leavers.
Supported by sector skills body e-skills UK, the company is recruiting 30 apprentices to be based in Staines from September. E-skills helped British gas design and develop the scheme.
It follows the Budget, in which Chancellor George Osborne promised £180 million in funding for apprenticeships in a bid to create a more educated and flexible UK workforce. IT industry representatives also recently argued at a Westminster eForum that more internships and apprenticeships are needed to attract and keep IT workers in the sector.
The apprenticeship programme contains four different streams of work, namely software development, software testing, projects and business engagement and user experience.
Through a mixture of classroom-based learning and on-the-job training, the apprentices will learn soft and technical skills and gain IT industry-recognised qualifications including the Advanced Apprenticeship, Diploma and the Duke of Edinburgh Gold award.
The new scheme is aimed at school leavers with a passion for technology, but do not necessarily have experience working in IT. Applicants should have a minimum of five GCSEs, including Maths, English and preferably ICT.
"Introducing apprentices to British Gas Information Systems is a part of our broader focus on securing future talent. We hope that the apprentices will bring fresh ideas and enthusiasm for our projects, as well as meet the skills needs we have now and in the future," said Rosalie McMillan, resource specialist at British Gas owner Centrica.
More information about the programme can be found here.
Visa Europe also recently launched a new IT apprenticeship programme for placements located in Basingstoke, Reading and Paddington.