The training programme lasts approximately 8 months.

In the first 12 weeks of your learning journey, the first 4 weeks will be spent in Milton Keynes at our central training location and the remaining weeks split between Milton Keynes and other locations, which could also be away from your home. You won’t be able to take holiday during this 12-week period.

There will be approximately a further 8 weeks where you will be required for specific training weeks or assessments. You will be notified of these weeks when you start the academy and travel away from home may be required. We will cover reasonable travel and subsistence expenses if the location of the training is a considerable distance from your home.

Please consider any commitments you may have as you will need to commit to this programme during and outside of your normal working hours, as travel will be required.

There are 15 positions available for the 1st cohort into our CityFibre Planner Academy, with 3 positions available in each of the following regions:

• South East
• South West
• Scotland & North East
• North
• Midlands

Throughout the training programme, there will be three assessment stages to evaluate your competencies and what you have learnt. Once you successfully complete the programme, you will move into the role of Associate City Planner.

The programme includes blended learning consisting of desk-based, online, and in-the-field training plus practical experience with formal assessments.

You will be given support and coaching with Lead City Planners, in your region, and deploy desk-based learning in the field to embed what has been learnt; putting the learning into practice with experienced colleagues. The programme is delivered by both CityFibre employees and external training providers.

Twelve weeks out of programme duration will consist of classroom training conducted at Milton Keynes and other locations so travel and away from home will be required for some.

You will be part of a cohort of Academy City Planners so will be able to share knowledge, your experience and ask questions within your peer group, facilitated by our Teams Academy City Planners Channel.

You will receive off-the-job formal training and on-the-job mentoring to support the development of your practical skills.

On successful completion of the Planner Academy, you will be promoted to Associate City Planner and offered a permanent contract with CityFibre.

You will start with an initial telephone interview that will include some competency questions aligned to The CityFibre Way. If successful, you will then take a skills test covering a verbal, numerical test and an abstract reasoning test. The final stage will be a situation-based face-to-face interview.