BT has today announced that it will support the inaugural Invictus Games and has also renewed its commitment to employing former servicemen and women.

The Invictus Games, an international sporting event for wounded, injured and sick personnel from the Armed Forces, will take place in London in September.

Meanwhile BT's Openreach division, which is responsible for rolling out fibre broadband across the UK, today reaffirmed a commitment to its civilian work attachment programme, which helps to facilitate a smooth transition from the Forces into the civilian workplace. The business has recruited more than 1,600 new engineers from ex-Armed Forces personnel over recent years as it continues to roll out fibre broadband across the UK.

Sir Keith Mills, Chair of the Invictus Games Organising Committee, said: "The Invictus Games is going to be one of the major highlights of 2014 and a real inspiration to many around the world. We are delighted that BT, which has been a tireless and long-term supporter of disability sport, will be supporting this event and building on the legacy of London 2012".

Sir Michael Rake, Chairman, BT Group plc, said: "BT has been championing disability sport for twenty-five years. We are proud to support the Invictus Games, which will be a powerful expression of values we hold dear - inclusion and inspiration through sport".

BT has a long history of support for the British Armed Forces. Openreach has hired former servicemen and women into engineering roles in recent years and BT also employs several hundred reservists. These include personnel attached to 81 Signal Squadron, a specialist Territorial Army unit that provides telecommunications engineering expertise to the British Army on exercises and operations worldwide.

The company also has a long-term, successful partnership with the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD), providing a range of communication and security services and it works closely with the British Army's Personnel Recovery Unit in Edinburgh, one of a number of such facilities to enable wounded, injured and sick personnel to return to duty or transition to civilian life.

Joe Garner, CEO, Openreach, said: "I'm delighted we are continuing to recruit so many highly skilled, motivated and disciplined people from the Forces. These courageous soldiers have served Britain for many years, and we are pleased to offer them the chance to use their talents to serve their country in another way – by helping deliver the broadband infrastructure that will be the backbone of the British economy in the 21st century.

"BT is investing around £3 billion in building Britain's fibre broadband infrastructure, and our engineers are rolling the technology out faster than anywhere else in the world. Our Armed Forces recruits are a welcome boost to that effort, augmenting an already world-class team".

People interested in applying for a role at Openreach should visit the Openreach website.