A telecoms giant has helped aspiring engineers gain the skills and confidence needed to embark on a career in the industry.

BT has supported eight young people in Norwich through its Work Ready scheme, which has seen them given interview coaching, hands-on training, public speaking skills and shadowing workers.

The three-week course is open to anyone aged 18 to 24 who is not in education, employment or training.

BT work ready coach Scott Ellis, who ran the course, said: 'We focus on their CVs, build their confidence, interview skills, presentation and show them the different roles that are out there.'

Thierry Allen, 18, of Elizabeth Fry Road, Norwich, said: 'We have gained a lot of confidence, I got over my fear of public speaking, and we have moved forward as a group.

'The course breaks down the basics of getting a job and simplifies the things you don't get taught in school.'

The first week of the course is mainly office based and focuses on building and developing practical work skills.

This is followed by a week on the job, shadowing employees and getting hands on experience of the working day.

The final days of the work placement are spent doing mock interviews and a day assessment as well as developing an individual plan of the next steps to find employment or return to education.

Giles Ellerton, regional partnership director for BT, said: 'It is about attracting and engaging young people in the world of work. We are helping them to transition to work from education and showing them what it is all about, in a practical way through work experience but also by building their confidence.'

After completing the course Norwich South MP Clive Lewis presented the attendees with certificates.

He said: 'Hearing the stories from these guys, they are young people who want to work and want to go into engineering but haven't had that confidence to do so for a variety of reasons.

'In many cases they have the ability to do the job but not to get through the interview process.'

The scheme is part of BT's commitment as a founding partner in the Movement to Work coalition of employers.