Vodafone has announced plans to add nearly 7,000 software engineers to its European workforce by 2025 in an effort to develop more digital services in-house. The operator, which last year invested EUR 8 billion in technology and digital projects, said the vacancies will be filled over the next 3 years through a combination of recruitment, re-skilling existing employees and insourcing, with the latter generating average savings of 20 percent for the group.
In a statement, the company said expanding its software capabilities will allow it to build differentiated products and services at lower cost and own the intellectual property (IP) rather than sourcing them through suppliers. The new roles will be added to the existing 9,000 employees already working as software engineers to create a new group function called Vodafone Technology that unites all European tech employees as well as the group’s international shared services division.
Vodafone Technology experts will be tasked with developing new Internet of things (IoT) products, smart network features, digital & IT, and cyber security services across Europe. The operator added that the adoption of leading software practices and the creation of digital skills hubs across the continent will mean it can launch new products and services 50 percent faster and in multiple countries at the same time.
