Telecommunications group BT is to create 78 jobs in Northern Ireland over the next six months with the majority based at its key contact centre in Belfast.

Fifty of the new positions will be customer service and sales jobs located in BT Flex in Riverside Tower in the city.

The group also plans to create a combination of apprenticeship and graduate jobs across its software development, IT, engineering, sales and service, security and digital technology operations in the North.

BT plans to offer a number of the new recruits an opportunity to begin degree apprenticeships which will enable them to obtain a full Honours degree qualification while working.

It also intends to provide industrial work experience for third level students with ten 48 week placements to begin in September at BT’s Global Development Centre in Belfast.

The telecoms giant is one of the largest local private sector employers with a direct workforce of more than 2,400 people.

Colm O’Neill, chief executive, BT in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, said he firmly believed that the North’s future economic success hinged on more young people following careers in science engineering and IT.

“Our latest recruitment supports this belief and further emphasises our commitment to supporting the growth of the ICT sector by creating opportunities for people to get the skills, support and training they need to carve out successful careers in Northern Ireland.”

“We look forward to welcoming our new recruits, who are joining BT at a very exciting time. They will have the opportunity to work in fields such as technology research, customer service, engineering, IT and TV, helping to create and build the next generation of communications technology,” Mr O’Neill added.