British Gas bucks the trend, creating new jobs

UK energy giant British Gas is to create 2,600 new jobs across the UK, it announced today.  The news comes as a result of the governmentÔÇÖs announcement in May that every UK household will be fitted with smart meters for gas and electricity by 2020. British Gas said it will need 2,100 smart energy experts to install the new meters and advise customers how to use them. In addition, it said that 400 support staff positions and 130 managerial roles will be created. The roll-out of smart metering will represent a major investment for British Gas. In addition to the jobs announced today, it also runs an Energy Academy in Leicester, where engineers will be trained to install the meters, as well as training bases at Dartford, Thatcham, Leeds and Hamilton.  Some ┬ú30 million per annum is invested in the academy, which opened in 2003 and has so far trained more than 5,000 apprentice engineers. ┬á ÔÇ£Today's announcement of 2,600 new jobs by 2012 shows we are creating skilled green jobs in Britain and training the experts who will help customers become more energy efficient in the future,ÔÇØ said managing director of British Gas, Phil Bentley. British Gas is currently trialling smart-metering in almost 50,000 UK homes and businesses.  The new jobs will be created by 2012, the company said. *┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á *┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á┬á *