WITH much of the nation now working from home, broadband has never been more important.
In a major boost for connectivity, network provider Openreach is creating 5,000 new jobs as it rolls out an ultra-fast Full Fibre service.
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The associated recruitment drive is good news for current jobseekers.
Openreach CEO Clive Selley says: “We’re looking for thousands more people to help us upgrade broad-band connections and continue improving service levels.
“We’re also investing in our supply chain, which will support the creation of thousands of jobs.”
Zuber Shaikh is one of Openreach’s army of engineers — and loves being at the cutting-edge of change.
The 27-year-old from Preston, says: “Joining Openreach was the best decision I made. It’s a life-long career with excellent opportunities to progress and the benefits of working for a great company.
“We build and maintain the digital network that enables more than 600 providers to deliver broadband to homes, hospitals, schools and businesses both large and small.
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“It can be challenging but it is also so rewarding.
“Don’t worry if you do not know much about engineering, the training provided by Openreach is fantastic and you’ll feel supported and motivated every step of the way.
“Much of the work is outdoors so you need to be physically fit and willing to go the extra mile for your customers, but every day is different and you are helping people too.”
The Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) estimates Openreach’s Full Fibre upgrade will allow nearly one million more people to access employment from home by 2025.
That will include 300,000 carers, nearly 250,000 older workers and 400,000 parents — and the Govern-ment’s Digital Secretary, Oliver Dowden, says: “I welcome this tremendous investment by Openreach.
“It will help us build back better from the pandemic.”
Rights on WFH spying
A POLL by the TUC found 15 per cent of workers have experienced a rise in monitoring by employers since the start of the pandemic, with firms even putting spy software in home-working staff laptops.
Tim Jones, of law firm Higgs & Sons, explains your rights.
- Taking screenshots and monitoring keystrokes and websites visited is legal – but should be used with caution. To follow data protection rules, employers must establish a legal basis for monitoring staff and processing their personal data.
- Any measures taken must be “necessary and proportionate to a legitimate aim”. This could include assessing an employee’s productivity and performance, reducing the risk of misconduct or protecting confidential information of the business.
- Companies must ensure that they are not unfairly targeting certain employees with monitoring measures, as this could result in a claim for unlawful discrimination under the Equality Act 2010.
- Employers need to consider the duty of care they owe to staff before putting any measures in place. Bosses must also consider their workers’ health and wellbeing and how this could be impacted by remote monitoring.
- The European Convention on Human Rights says em- ployers must respect workers’ right to a private and family life. Firms must not breach this.
DIG THIS, PEOPLE
GROW your future – with a career in gardening.
The ornamental horticulture industry is worth £24.2billion a year and the pandemic has only increased this. Now the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) is offering 40 two-year apprenticeships at the charity’s five gardens, no experience needed.
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Suzanne Moss, RHS Head of Education and Learning: “Perhaps you discovered the joys of gardening during lock-down and are interested in a fulfilling career with myriad opportunities to work outdoors and connect with nature.
“Or you’re keen to move into a role that can help to combat climate change, support wildlife and improve people’s wellbeing.”
Apply by March 1, at rhs.org.uk/education-learning.
IT’S COMING HOME
MORE than half of small and medium-sized enterprises are planning to hire freelance staff who will work from home.
Lockdown, and increased remote working, have made it easier for many SMEs to source talent from across the UK or even abroad – with 62 per cent happy to look for staff overseas.
A study by freelancer site AnyTask.com found 84 per cent of SME owners said that, before the pandemic, they had been forced to hire someone not right for a role, and 58 per cent blamed this on their business’s location restricting the pool of applicants.
But an AnyTask.com spokes-man said: “It’s no longer the case that staff must be based within a commutable distance and firms can now look farther afield.”
Jobspot
DIRECT LINE is looking for staff including customer service advisors and HGV drivers.
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