Telecoms giant BT is to create 500 engineering jobs at its Openreach division amid increasing rollout of its fibre broadband programme.
Openreach said it recently received 26,000 applications for 1,600 engineering jobs.
The new posts will mainly be based in London, Surrey and Aberdeen, with around half the new intake working on customer service.
Some of the recruits will work on extending fibre broadband to new housing developments and installing an ultra-fast service for medium and large businesses.
Joe Garner, chief executive of Openreach, said: "We've had a terrific response to our previous recruitment campaign.
"Our fibre broadband rollout is making a really positive contribution to the lives and business of people right across Britain.
"Broadband growth is great for our customers and for Britain. These new engineers will help ensure that Openreach continues to meet and exceed the rising demands of our customers in an internet age."
Culture Secretary Sajid Javid said: "Government is taking superfast broadband to 95% of the UK by 2017, and it's vital that a skilled workforce is in place to cope with the resulting increase in demand."
Andy Kerr, deputy general secretary of the Communication Workers Union said: "We especially welcome the opportunities given to women to become engineers and to 300 young people through the apprentice scheme."
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