BA launches IT recruitment drive

British Airways (BA) is planning to recruit 20 people as part of a new IT Professional Programme, the first such campaign mounted by the airline in more than six years.

BA will provide 18 months intensive training in IT support, development and delivery and business analysis to graduates of any discipline wanting to work in IT.

Following training, the new recruits will be located at either Heathrow or in Newcastle, based on their interests and abilities.

‘The new recruitment campaign offers a great opportunity for candidates, who will receive tailor-made training in a cutting-edge environment,’ said BA's head of resourcing and skills Bill Francis.

‘The business will benefit from a fresh resource pool of talented individuals.’

BA is a good example of a company that has used technology to transform its business, Francis says, and is an excellent arena in which to develop IT skills.

He says recruits will work with leading edge technology, such as Linux and Web 2.0 and the development of Heathrow Terminal 5.

The training will be both hands-on and classroom based and will teach diverse IT functions and projects, such as rostering programmes, yield management, website design and check-in processes.

BA chief information officer Paul Coby says the programme would be ideal for future graduates of the new Information Technology Management for Business running at universities across the country.

Coby, who is also chair of the Sector Skills Council for IT and Telecoms, a CIO board for e-skills UK, says individuals with the ability to use technology to solve problems in business and public administration are essential BA and should be encouraged.

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Further reading

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BA flies past self-service goals

BA technology strategy holds the key at Heathrow’s Terminal 5