Spain and Portugal are top recruitment targets
The UK Prime Minister is expected to grant extraordinary status on European fibre engineers in a bid to entice them to work in the UK. Experienced batalhões and batallones de fibra from Spain and Portugal could be particularly targeted by recruitment campaigns because of their likely availability and compatibility. The gigabit guerreros and fibra ópticas are needed for Project Gigabit and the recruitment of euro cablers has been sanctioned in the budget of the Gigabit Infrastructure Subsidy (GIS) programme.
The PM, Liz Truss, appears set to confirm earlier reports that she will make it easier for UK network operators and ISPs to tackle the endless shortage of skilled fibre broadband engineers by allowing the telecoms sector to hire more staff from abroad. With a hundred network operators running Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) across the UK the fibre companies are struggling to find people with ‘the right optics’ for the unique process of laying fibre. Some operators have set up their own training schools but that investment of time and money has its own risks. There’s always the danger that once an engineer is trained they will be poached by a rival.Â
Recruitment from other EU countries is no longer an option at the moment. However, new broom Truss, who is under pressure to show the economy is moving, may be considering a new scheme to offer special visas in exceptional cases. Spain and Portugal are talent targets as these respective nations have almost completed their fibre rollouts and may have engineers looking for new projects. According to ISP Review the UK government has consulted fibre operators about the problem and new PM Truss has pledged to build faster build faster by developing a fast-track scheme for foreign engineers. The move would be complemented by changes under their new Growth Plan 2022.
A report in the Financial Times said Truss will deliver on her promise by editing the shortage occupation list, which identifies skills that a government labour market economist judges be in short supply. If fibre engineers enter that category then the passage of their sponsored work visa applications can be eased with expedited paper work and lower visa fees. Broadband engineers are not currently listed. If they do, the entry into the UK market of experienced fibre engineers might affect the employability of those currently in training in the UK. The UK government has boasted of funding ‘the biggest broadband rollout in British history’ and that involves supporting broadband companies to source essential workers. The UK government’s £5bn Project Gigabit broadband rollout scheme has just started to award its first deployment contracts under the Gigabit Infrastructure Subsidy (GIS) programme.
The telecoms industry in general faces a crippling skills shortage Colt GEO Keri Gilder told the telecom Forum in Copenhagen last week according to  Telecom TV.  One of the biggest problems was the numbers of people reaching retirement age and the lack of young people qualified to take their place. Telecom software analyst Ryan Jeffery echoed her warning that diversity and inclusion, are key areas of attention. Britain’s new cabinet is currently far more diverse than the European telecoms industry.