COMMUNICATIONS giant Openreach is creating more than 5,000 new engineering jobs next year - including 200 in the South West.

The move will help to build and connect customers to its new future-proofed ultrafast Full Fibre broadband network.

The recruitment drive includes 2,500 full-time jobs in Openreach’s service and network build divisions, and an estimated 2,800 positions in its UK supply chain.

The new roles in Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire will enable the company to continue improving service levels across its existing networks, whilst building and connecting customers to its new, ultrafast, ultra-reliable ‘Full Fibre’ broadband network at a record pace.

The firm has also made a commitment to upgrade all 27,000 Openreach vehicles - the second largest commercial fleet in the UK - to electric by 2030.

Openreach announced it has hit a record build rate for its Full Fibre broadband programme, which aims to reach 20 million homes and businesses by the mid-to-late 2020s.

Openreach said its engineers are delivering faster, more reliable connectivity to the equivalent of a home every 15 seconds.

In Somerset 31 roles will be created while 11 will be made available in Bristol and 30 jobs will be created in Dorset.

Connie Dixon, Openreach Regional Director, said:“As a major employer and infrastructure builder, we believe Openreach can play a leading role in helping the UK to build back better and greener. Our Full Fibre network build is going faster than ever and we’re now looking for people across the South West to build a career with Openreach and help us upgrade broadband connections and continue improving service levels throughout the region.

"We’re also investing in our supply chain, which will support the creation of thousands of jobs based all over the UK.

“We know the network we’re building can deliver a host of green benefits – from consuming less power to enabling more home working and fewer commuting trips - and we’re going to take that a step further, by committing to build and maintain that network using state of the art electric vehicles across our 27,000-strong fleet. We’ll have completely transitioned to EVs by 2030.”

Full fibre build is already underway in dozens of locations across the South West, including the cities of Bristol, Torquay, Exeter and harder-to-reach locations of Liskeard, Buckfastleigh, Cirencester, Gillingham, Chippenham and Cheddar.

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, said: "Throughout this crisis I've been clear that our number one economic priority is to protect jobs, so I'm delighted to welcome this announcement of 5,000 new skilled roles.

“We’re investing billions of pounds across the UK as part of our Plan for Jobs to ensure nobody is left without hope or opportunity."

Openreach already employs more than 34,500 people, including more than 25,000 engineers who build, maintain and connect customers to its nationwide broadband network. Of these, more than 3,400 live and/or work in the South West.