Telecoms giant BT is expanding its apprenticeship scheme, part of its continuing efforts to tempt high-calibre young employees into the company.
The move, which will see the recruitment of 550 new apprentices, comes as a report suggests that companies risk losing out if they fail to realise the potential of their younger employees.
Ageism at work is a bigger problem for younger people than it is for older employees, according to a survey of 1,600 UK workers by the Employers Forum on Age (EFA).
Some 25% of school leavers have faced age discrimination compared with 18% of those over 60, it said.
BT, which has 530 existing apprentices in sectors that include engineering, IT, call centres, business and vehicle maintenance, believes engaging young employees has a positive impact on the bottom line.
Jim Wilson, head of apprenticeships at BT, told Personnel Today: “It pays dividends in a number of ways, enabling us to attract a high calibre of young person.”
BT’s focus on young employees contrasts with the findings of the EFA study, which shows that only 25% are given interesting challenges, while 21% claim that what they do is boring.
Sam Mercer, director of the EFA, said: “This is a wake-up call for employers – we need to break the stereotype habit and be much more aware of the fact that people have different needs at different stages of their working lives.”
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Mercer said it was clear that people of all ages did not always feel well managed or supported in their jobs.
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