British Gas is to recruit more than 400 apprentices in the South West - and half of them will be women.
The energy provider has launched a recruitment drive for Smart Energy apprentices over the next decade, with the aim that about a third of the vacancies will be filled by the end of 2022.
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.
More on the South West's green revolution
The apprentices from the peninsula will receive the technical skills training and the knowledge they need for the job at one of the award-winning British Gas training academies in Dartford, Hamilton, Thatcham and Leicester.
Once qualified as Smart Energy Experts they will be upskilled to install and maintain carbon-efficient technologies, including electric vehicle charging points, heat pumps, hydrogen boilers, and to provide essential energy efficiency advice to customers.
To encourage the need for more engineers with green skills across the UK, two new British Gas electric vans are travelling from John O’Groats to Land’s End this week, visiting towns and cities en route. The final stop in Land’s End will be the final stop on the four day journey.
The vehicles are two of the 3,000 Vauxhall Vivaro-e vehicles British Gas has purchased over the past two years, representing the largest electric vehicle order for a commercial fleet in the UK.
With more than 12,000 vehicles on the road, British Gas has committed to making these all electric by 2025, five years ahead of the petrol and diesel ban.
British Gas said it is supporting the UK economy in providing the “green skills” required to help lead the electric vehicle revolution and reach Net Zero by 2050.
EV charging data shows there are 1,835 public electric vehicle charging points in the South West, representing 7.2% of the UK total with almost half (43.3%) of all charging points located in London and the South East.
Earlier this year, the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders announced there will need to be at least 2.3million charging points nationwide before the end of the decade, equating to more than 700 chargers installed every day until 2030.
Therefore, engineers with “green skills” will be urgently required across the South West to install EV chargers, helping to “level up” the UK.
Beth Willshaw from Newquay in Cornwall, was looking for a new career after she found life as a PE teacher was causing her to fall out of love with her beloved sport. She knew that a physical job where she wasn’t deskbound would suit her and was inspired to apply to be a British Gas apprentice.
How to contact William Telford and Business Live
Business Live's South West Business Reporter is William Telford. William has more than a decade's experience reporting on the business scene in Plymouth and the South West. He is based in Plymouth but covers the entire region.
To contact William: Email: william.telford@reachplc.com - Phone: 01752 293116 - Mob: 07584 594052 - Twitter: @WTelfordHerald - LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com - Facebook: www.facebook.com/william.telford.5473
Stay in touch: BusinessLive newsletters have been re-designed to make them even better. We send morning bulletins straight to your inbox on the latest news, views and opinion in the South West. Get our breaking news alerts and weekly sector reviews too. Sign up now - it's free and it only takes a minute. To sign up for Business Live's daily newsletters click here.
And visit the Business Live South West LinkedIn page here
She said: “Life as an apprentice appealed because I wanted a new challenge in a career where no two days are the same. I knew that British Gas would give me excellent training and the staff at the academies have made each day enjoyable, while at the same time pushing me to be the best I can. The skills we are learning are more relevant than ever as society transitions towards Net Zero. That training, alongside the support I receive, gives me the confidence that I can continue a successful and enjoyable career with British Gas.”
Chris O’Shea, chief executive 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.”
