Digital network business Openreach has revealed that it will be creating scores of new jobs in Pembrokeshire in 2022.

The company says it will fill around 250 additional jobs across Wales – including more than 200 apprenticeships.

The new recruits in Pembrokeshire will help build and connect customers to the company’s ultrafast, ultra-reliable Full Fibre broadband network.

Clive Selley, CEO at Openreach, said: “Openreach is a people business first and foremost, so I’m proud that we’re continuing to invest heavily in our people.

"We have hired and trained more than 8,000 new engineers over the last two years.

“We’re rightly recognised as one of the best big companies to work for in Wales and we’re determined to stay that way.

"We’ve been building state of the art training schools, where we can teach people the skills and techniques they need for long, exciting and rewarding careers in engineering.

“We want to reflect the communities we serve and give opportunities to people from all backgrounds, so I’m encouraged that we’ve recruited more women and minority groups this year compared to last year.

"But we’ve got much more to do in an industry that hasn’t been very diverse historically.

“These new recruits will play a crucial role as we continue to improve services for our customers..

"We aim to build the biggest and best broadband network in Wales and the rest of the UK, covering millions of rural and urban homes.”

The mammoth build is on track to reach 25 million UK homes and businesses by December 2026 and has already reached more than 425,000 properties in Wales.

The hiring spree - 4,000 new jobs created across the UK - is part of the largest recruitment drive in Openreach’s history.

With a workforce of around 2,300 across Wales, Openreach already employs the nation’s largest team of telecoms engineers and professionals.

Its says it has committed to building "a more diverse and inclusive team in an industry that’s traditionally been very white, male dominated."

Last year, the company attracted 600 women into trainee engineering roles – more than double the previous year, with around 50 were recruited in Wales.

The boost was thanks partly to employing language experts to transform its job adverts and descriptions, making them gender neutral.