NEWS IN BRIEF
09
09
CityFibre announces 10,000
jobs boost to roll-out full fibre
infrastructure across the UK
CityFibre, the UK’s third national digital infrastructure platform, has
announced a three-year recruitment and training programme to provide
up to 10,000 people with jobs upgrading the UK’s digital infrastructure
to full fibre – the best available technology enabling the fastest and most
dependable digital connectivity and broadband services.
The Government has made the nationwide deployment of full fibre by
2025 a key target. This critical initiative will underpin Britain’s long-term
economic recovery from the Coronavirus crisis, helping to level-up the
economy by enabling access to ultra-fast digital connectivity for all.
The recruitment programme will include the identification and training
of thousands of unemployed UK residents as well as new job opportunities
for qualified and experienced construction and telecoms workers. Jobs will
be created within CityFibre’s growing pool of network construction partners
delivering the up to £4bn rollout of full fibre infrastructure to over 100
towns and cities.
The programme will target specific groups including service-leavers
and those now unemployed as a result of the Coronavirus crisis. It will
also seek to attract more women and individuals from Black, Asian and
Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds, both of which are significantly underrepresented
in the construction industry.
CityFibre will work closely with an expanding network of national
employment and recruitment partners including: The Department of
Work and Pensions, Construction Industry Training Board and the Career
Transition Partnership as well as a number of other specialists such as the
Women's Engineering Society.
Recruitment campaigns to identify the first wave of trainees will begin
later this month. Wherever possible, individuals will be recruited from the
town or city identified for rollout, providing a much-needed boost to local
employment and economies. CityFibre will continue to work closely with
Local Authorities to identify local partners through which it can promote
and deliver the programme.
On successful completion of their training, recruits will be introduced to
CityFibre’s local network construction partners and considered for a range
of network delivery roles. The training and experience will provide them with
long-term career opportunities in a sector critical to the UK’s future.
Steve Holliday, Chairman at CityFibre said: “We’re delighted to launch
our training and recruitment programme creating up to 10,000 jobs in such
a critical and vibrant sector. The programme will reach deep into our society
to include some of those most in need of opportunity. Ultimately, it will
ensure the skilled workforce is in place to get the job done and at the same
time provide up-skilling and well-paid jobs across more than 100 towns
and cities.
“In the wake of the Coronavirus, delivering the Government’s target
of full fibre nationwide by 2025 could not be more important. Of all the
infrastructure projects and industrial policies under consideration, full fibre
will have the biggest impact in the shortest time, and for the least public
money. It will help ensure that the UK not only recovers economically, but
that it swiftly transitions to a greener, smarter and fairer economy in which
to thrive.” n
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R&M and partners launch
Single Pair Ethernet System
Alliance
R&M recently participated in founding the Single Pair Ethernet (SPE)
Alliance with Phoenix Contact, Weidmüller, Fluke Networks and
Telegärtner. These leading technology companies are bundling and
exchanging SPE expertise and knowledge in a targeted manner.
The group’s main goal is to drive development of SPE for Industrial
Internet of Things (IIoT) and collaborate on related technological
challenges. The companies aim to accelerate development of their
SPE technology expertise, ensuring this can be implemented in their
products faster and more reliably. Recently, Datwyler, Kyland, Microchip
Technology, Rosenberger, SICK, O-Ring, Draka/Prysmian Group, and
University4Industry also joined the Alliance. The lineup means the
Alliance covers a wide range of industries, applications and application
areas. Together, these parties are preparing the market for SPE.
SPE, based on xBASE-T1, uses a single twisted pair for data
transmission and miniaturised connectors. SPE can replace the traditional
field bus, helping realise high density, fast connections and ease of
installation. It offers uniform manufacturer-independent connectivity
instead of introducing connectivity for each application. Ranges of up
to 1000m and transmission speeds of up to 1Gbps enable use across
applications, and installation is fast and easy, aiming to reuse and extend
existing cable installations.
SPE provides consistent IP communication from sensor to cloud,
revolutionising industrial data transmission. Standardised pin connector
patterns form the basis for the barrier-free networking of a wide range
of components and devices, providing an alternative to today’s
fieldbus systems.
Smart buildings and factories can be cost-effectively realised by
connecting devices to the building management system via LAN
networks and the cloud. Application-specific fieldbus systems are no
longer required, making gateways, complex interfaces, and different
protocols obsolete. SPE is an ideal solution for connecting numerous
small sensors and actuators in Digital Ceiling ‘zones’. Sensors, controls,
WLAN access points and other distributed services are simply plugged in
and instantly powered and connected to the network.
Sensors and actuators are increasingly supplying data to IIoT
applications. SPE’s miniaturised, standardised connection technology
makes it possible to quickly and easily connect smaller sensors to
Ethernet networks and power these.
SPE transmission channels can be created from a wide variety of
cables and plugs. Channel parameters such as bandwidth, attenuation,
return loss, and shielding dimensions are currently specified in the system
standards (such as ISO/IEC 11801) and connectors and cables are
tailored to respective channels.
Ethernet in general and SPE in particular play a central role in the
establishment of the Industrial Internet of Things. University4Industry
supports training requirements with online content dealing with various
areas of IIoT, for example Ethernet APL. n
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