200 new British Gas apprenticeships have been announced today at the GMB Congress.

The apprentices, who will graduate to jobs installing, servicing and repairing energy efficient boilers and central heating systems in homes across the UK, will benefit from two years of training, rated 'outstanding' by Ofsted.

All the apprenticeships involve a mix of training at the British Gas Academy and time spent working in customers’ homes learning from a fully trained British Gas engineer.

British Gas has a proud history of training apprentices. It has recruited and trained over 3,300 apprentices in the last ten years and invests around £30,000 for each apprentice it trains. Last year British Gas invested £10million in its training academies and apprentices. All apprentices complete the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award as part of the programme.

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36 of the 200 apprentices have already been recruited across Scotland, Birmingham, Leicester and Guildford and will start their Central Heating Installation apprenticeship this month in the academies. Applications for the remaining 164 apprenticeships, in the service and repair division, will open in the next month. Applicants can register their interest now and find out more information at www.britishgasjobs.co.uk

Gary Smith, GMB National Secretary for Energy and Utilities, said: "The British Gas apprenticeship is the best available. It is a real apprenticeship scheme that equips young people for life.

"It is great news that amongst all the economic gloom and with unemployment amongst the young soaring that so many opportunities are being created.

"GMB has always been 100% behind creating apprenticeships at British Gas. Every GMB Member is so positive about this announcement."

(CD)