THE first of 90 new apprentices have begun at Newton Rigg, Penrith as part of a £100million government project to roll out ‘lightening fast’ broadband across all of Cumbria.
The £5billion Project Gigabit is described as the biggest broadband roll out in British history.
It aims to deliver faster connections to hard-to-reach areas that would otherwise have missed out, such as Gilsland and Grasmere.
The apprenticeships will cover a range of roles, from underground and overhead cabling to surveying with an apprentice training academy opening at Newton Rigg near Penrith.
The Minister for Data and Digital Infrastructure, Sir John Whittingdale, told the News & Star this was a ‘big step forward’ for Cumbria.
“It's great news, both in terms of people who want to get fast broadband coverage in Cumbria, but also obviously for the group of apprentices who are going to be given some absolutely essential skills and a job at the end of it.
“The first group of apprentices are beginning their training and it's going to increase over time up to 90.
“They are going to be kept busy because we're going to be installing fibre to an awful lot of homes across Cumbria, so I think there's going to be no shortage of work.”
Penrith and the Border MP, Dr Neil Hudson, has also welcomed the news.
“I’m delighted to celebrate the opening of a brand-new purpose-built training academy on our doorstep,” said Dr Hudson.
“Apprenticeships lead to jobs, jobs lead to local investment which in turn grows the local economy and sees benefit spread right across our part of the world.
“This is great news, not just for the local people upskilling themselves in a future-proof industry, but for wider communities set to benefit from the fastest commercially available internet speeds.
“Local Government investment is key to unlocking rural economic potential and spreading opportunity right across the nation.”
Tom Balcombe, a 32-year-old from nearby Penrith, explained that he is excited to start his training: “During Covid I got a job in security, working at a supermarket in Penrith.
"But I had been looking for a new career path, and I already knew a little about working in telecoms.
“At the end of this programme I want to go out, do overhead cabling and splicing fibre. I am looking forward to gaining a trade - you can never go wrong if you have a trade. This training has piqued my interest massively and it’s a huge gamechanger.”
Tom is excited to be joined in his cohort, by Will Norendal, a 22-year-old from Penrith who hopes to enjoy a long career in the industry. “I have wanted to make a career out of something, and telecoms sounds good - I have always been a computer nerd and think this could be quite fun," he said.
"I am only 22 so have only ever done odd jobs. I want a career now and everyone wants to move up in the world, don’t they?
“This training is very interesting - I want to go into telecoms, it is what my mind is set on now, especially now I am gaining this experience. It is something I want to pursue for the rest of my life.”
The government aims for 85 per cent of homes to have gigabit capability in 2025 with all homes receiving the ultra-fast broadband by 2030.
Newton Rigg, the 125-year-old agricultural college, closed in 2021, but in a boost for jobs and skills across Cumbria, Fibrus, along with their network build partner Viberoptix, has committed to creating the apprenticeships covering a range of roles from underground and overhead cabling to surveying.
Linda McMillan, chief people officer at Fibrus said: “Broadband connectivity is more important than ever and is crucial to levelling up rural communities to give those in rural areas the same opportunities as those in bigger cities.
"We are proud of how our full fibre broadband rollout is progressing in Cumbria, and when we invest in a region, we ensure we go beyond providing much needed affordable high-speed broadband.
"The enrolment of the first apprentices at Newton Rigg this summer is a testament to our commitment to local communities. Alongside offering people in Cumbria essential full fibre broadband connections, we’re committed to supporting the region with community grants, job creation and training opportunities.
"I am delighted that we’re creating new career pathways for local apprentices this year through our trusted partner Viberoptix.”
Claire McCay, HR Director at Viberoptix added: “We are delighted to welcome our first cohort of apprentices to our purpose-built Training Academy in Penrith.
"We know the history of Newton Rigg college and we’re proud to be able to bring a training facility back to the site, offering training and development and job opportunities to the local community.
"Our aim is to build for the future, not just building a fibre network, but helping people build their careers and futures in the telecoms industry.
"We recognise the importance and the impact that this UK government project will have on Cumbria, and we’re proud to be a part of it alongside Fibrus.”
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