Vodafone is planning to add nearly 7,000 software engineers to its technical workforce in Europe by 2025, through a combination of recruitment, re-skilling existing employees and insourcing.
The move is part of Vodafone’s investment to meet demand for digital connectivity, which is growing by up to 50 percent every year. Vodafone did not reveal the specific number of new job opportunity.
Vodafone is driving forward its strategy to transform from a traditional telecommunications company to a new generation connectivity and digital services provider across Europe and Africa.
Vodafone aims to build differentiated products and services at lower cost and own the intellectual property (IP) than sourcing them through suppliers. Insourcing expertise generates savings of 20 percent, on average, for Vodafone.
Vodafone is combining the advantage of its geographical scale with the adoption of leading software practices, and the creation of digital skills hubs across Europe. Vodafone believes it can launch new products and services 50 percent faster and in multiple countries at the same time.
The existing number of software engineers at Vodafone is 9,000.
Vodafone said its 16,000 software engineers will develop Internet of things (IoT) products, smart network features, digital & IT, and cyber security services across Europe.
“We are building a global software brand with a diverse and inclusive culture, providing superfast connectivity and powerful digital products – however and wherever customers want to use them,” Johan Wibergh, Chief Technology Officer of Vodafone, said.
By 2025, more than 50 percent of all employees within Vodafone Technology will work in software engineering. Vodacom, part of Vodafone Group, is adopting a similar strategy through the extension of digital and financial services across Africa.
Vodafone made an investment of €8 billion in the last financial year in software areas. Vodafone Technology is already well advanced with its plans, based on its Tech2025 strategic blueprint.
Vodafone is building new platforms — building on the strength of its IoT platform, which can be scaled to support one billion devices in 180 markets and handle 1.7 billion API calls or sessions per month. In Africa, Vodacom operates the largest financial services platform with 61 million users.
Vodafone can introduce personalised loyalty rewards via its global My Vodafone App by using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning. Last year, Vodafone increased the number of digital software releases to 1500 from 650 in the UK alone using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning.
Vodafone moved 80 percent of its IT and network to the cloud resulting into quick fixing of faults. Vodafone is using AI and machine learning to predict issues and has introduced zero-touch automation to improve reliability and customer service.
Vodafone has 1,200 robots performing various automated processes across several functions, including networks, procurement and customer service.
Vodafone Technical Career Path will expand its coverage, initially bringing into scope up to 7,000 existing employees by April 2022.
Vodafone Technology invested €1.3 billion on developing new digital products and services, and €1 billion on its own digital transformationin the financial year ending March 2021.
Vodafone also spent €2.6 billion on extending the reach and growing the capacity of its gigabit mobile and fixed pan-European networks. In addition, Vodafone spent €0.9 billion for providing the latest equipment such as high-end broadband routers, and €2.1 billion for maintaining networks and IT systems.
