Northern Powergrid celebrates success of ten trainee engineers

TEAM POWERGRID GRADUATES

Northern Powergrid, the company which powers everyday life for 8 million people across the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire, is celebrating the success of ten trainee engineers who’ve recently completed their Foundation Degree in Electrical Power Engineering, run by Sunderland University and Tyne Met College.

The ten ‘bright sparks’ started the Electrical Power Engineering Foundation Degree in 2017 as part of Northern Powergrid’s Trainee Engineer (Foundation Degree) Programme. The three-year tailored programme, which includes a Northern Powergrid-funded Foundation Degree in Electrical Power Engineering undertaken during the first two years, also provides a broad range of experience through placements across Northern Powergrid’s business as well as completing other formal courses. 

The Trainee Engineer (Foundation Degree) Programme is part of the electricity distributor’s on-going commitment to attract and retain a skilled and diverse workforce to help deliver its £3 billion, eight year (2015-23) investment programme. The programme also demonstrates Northern Powergrid’s commitment to supporting the national ‘Energy and Utilities Workforce Renewal and Skills Strategy’ to encourage more people to consider a career in the energy industry.

Glen Hodges, Head of Field Services at Northern Powergrid, said: “The energy industry is an exciting place to be as we look to the future with a low-carbon economy, new technologies and digitisation driving unprecedented change and our transition to a Distribution System Operator that delivers more for our customers.

“Our Trainee Engineer (Foundation Degree) Programme is an amazing opportunity for anyone who wants to want to light up their career. Successful applicants benefit from a Northern Powergrid funded Foundation Degree as well as the opportunity to experience a number of placements across the business before choosing the right career path for you.

“We’re incredibly proud of our graduates and I look forward to watching them progress through their careers as they continue their journey.”

In October, Northern Powergrid will welcome its next set of trainee engineers, as its 2019 recruitment process completes. Applications for the 2020 Trainee Engineer (Foundation Degree) Programme are due to open in March/April 2020.

• Northern Powergrid is the electricity distribution business for North East England, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire. The company delivers power safely and reliably to 8 million customers across 3.9 million homes and businesses.
• 105 is the free number people in England, Scotland and Wales can call to report or get information about power cuts in their area or report damage to electricity power lines and substations. Funded by electricity distributors, including Northern Powergrid, it routes people to their local network operator. The service was launched in September 2016.
• Northern Powergrid’s network consists of more than 63,000 substations and 60,000 miles of overhead power lines and underground cables, spanning some 9,650 square miles.