CityFibre and PQMS expand specialist network construction training partnership

Hexatronic Group AB (publ)
556168-6360

Press Release December 17, 2020

CityFibre and PQMS expand specialist network construction training partnership

PQMS Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Hexatronic Group AB, has extended its partnership with CityFibre, the UK’s third national digital infrastructure platform, in support of their three-year recruitment and training programme to create up to 10,000 jobs constructing full fibre networks across the UK. PQMS, which currently provides specialised training for CityFibre’s build partner’s operatives in Coventry, will now significantly increase its capacity, launching new programmes across two additional sites in Bury and Pulborough.

PQMS provides courses to CityFibre including Streetworks (NRSWA) and accredited Physical Infrastructure Access (PIA), equipping trainees to deliver both new-build networks as well as utilising BT Openreach’s ducts and poles. In addition, CityFibre and PQMS have designed bespoke training modules specifically for CityFibre’s own PIA network architecture. Particular focus will be placed on Health and Safety training as well as the maintenance of the highest quality of standards.

For CityFibre to ensure the delivery of its £4 billion Gigabit City Investment Programme, they are supporting its build partners to grow their businesses with long-term contracts for whole-town or whole-city deployments. In addition, they are providing recruitment and training programmes through partners like PQMS to help ensure sufficient skilled construction workers are in place to deliver the huge expansion in concurrent rollouts targeting 8 million premises.

“We are delighted to extend our partnership with PQMS who have proven themselves to be a valuable and ambitious partner in our drive to secure the capacity of our build programme. The training provided is a real opportunity to create a new generation of network construction workers, skilled in the deployment and maintenance of the digital networks of the future. We are already seeing graduates flourish in new roles and we look forward to thousands more joining our ranks and helping us to build a world class infrastructure for the UK.” says Richard Thorpe, Chief Delivery Officer at CityFibre