EXi comes to the rescue of Corus steel workers

The UK-based telecommunications company and the engineering union AEEU have teamed up with the DTI to organise the deal, which will be formally announced later today.

Although Corus cut 6,050 positions, EXi will absorb 3,000 steel workers in plants across Wales and a further 1,000 in the north of England.

EXi Telecoms currently has a workforce of 1,700 workers in 20 countries, providing the infrastructure for telecom and internet companies.

However, the company has been facing a skills shortage, and the AEEU claims the ex-steel workers can fill this void and will now be trained for new jobs involving cabling, fibre optics and electronic switching.