Virgin Media O2 helps students stay in work with new flexible working initiative

• New initiative helps student retail advisors stay in work while completing their studies
• Flexible store transfers allow eligible colleagues to work closer to home during university breaks
• Latest people initiative builds on Virgin Media O2’s commitment to attracting and retaining young talent through flexible, inclusive employment

Virgin Media O2 has launched a new retail trial designed to help university students stay in work while completing their studies.

The new initiative enables eligible student retail advisors to temporarily transfer to an O2 store closer to home during university breaks before returning to their base store when term resumes. By making better use of its nationwide retail footprint, which encompasses over 300 stores, the company is removing one of the barriers that can lead students to leave employment during their studies, while helping them continue building valuable workplace experience alongside their education.

The launch comes as supporting young people into sustainable employment remains high on the national agenda, with Government encouraging employers to create more flexible routes into work and help young people develop the skills and experience needed for long-term careers.

Rather than losing talented colleagues each time they return home from university, Virgin Media O2’s new approach enables student advisors to continue working, developing their skills and progressing their careers. The trial also benefits stores by retaining experienced colleagues who already understand the company’s products and systems, ensuring customers continue to receive expert support from knowledgeable advisors.

Dhruvi Parag, Retail Advisor, Virgin Media O2, said: “Being able to transfer to a store closer to home during university breaks has made a huge difference, helping me stay in a job I really enjoy while continuing my studies. It’s amazing to know that sharing my experience has helped create something positive that could make it easier for other students to keep working, keep earning and continue building their confidence and skills alongside university.”

Will Houldsworth, Director of Retail, Virgin Media O2, said: “Young people shouldn’t have to choose between gaining a qualification and building a career and this initiative is about removing that barrier. By giving our student employees the flexibility to temporarily work from another store closer to home, we’re making it easier for them to continue learning and earning, develop their skills and progress their careers while completing their studies.

“We’re proud to invest in our people and create opportunities for them to succeed at every stage of life. Not only does this help us retain talented colleagues and the experience they’ve built with us, it also strengthens our stores and ensures our customers continue to receive the excellent service they expect.”

The initiative builds on Virgin Media O2’s wider commitment to creating an inclusive, flexible and supportive workplace. In recent years, the company has introduced a range of employee-focused policies designed to support colleagues through different life stages, including enhanced family leave offering 26 weeks’ paid maternity and adoption leave and 14 weeks’ paid paternity leave, paid carers’ leave and neonatal leave, as well as health and wellbeing support through BUPA and financial education. The business has also provided targeted cost-of-living support for employees and continues to invest in programmes that help colleagues develop their careers and thrive at work.

Together, these initiatives form part of Virgin Media O2’s broader people strategy, recognising that supporting employees through key life moments not only helps attract and retain talented people, but also creates better experiences for customers by building engaged, experienced and highly skilled teams.

More information on working at Virgin Media O2 and career opportunities can be found here.