The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
ENGINEERING TRAINING SCHOOL
Peterborough centre to play key role in national full fibre broadband plan
A telecommunications giant’s Peterborough training hub for engineers will be at the heart of a new drive to bring full fibre broadband to businesses and homes nationwide.
The state-of-the-art Openreach Training School, in Saville Road, is to play a key role in the Government’s newly revealed infrastructure revolution.
Ministers say the plans will mean a hefty investment in transport schemes and the roll out of super-fast broadband to rural areas.
Exchequer Secretary Simon Clarke MP visited the training school to highlight the Government’s commitment to the infrastructure upgrade.
He discussed with staff how full fibre broadband was being rolled out across the country and spoke to trainee engineers to find out how they are being given the skills they need to support the new action.
Mr Clarke said: “Faster broadband boosts productivity and makes people’s lives easier at home and work. I’m delighted to be at Openreach to understand the challenges around connecting buildings to faster internet and to see how £5.5 billion we awarded to connect rural areas could be spent.”
The visit comes 10 months after Openreach announced it was recruiting 400 trainee engineers for the east of England and 3,000 nationally.
Clive Selley, chief executive of Openreach, said: “We’re making great progress towards reaching our target of upgrading three million homes and businesses to full fibre by the end of 2020 and these new recruits will play a crucial role in that programme.