13 Jan 2022

North West Utility Human interest

Power network seeks apprentices for net zero drive

The firm which operates the North West’s power network is on the hunt for budding apprentices to fill green jobs.

Undertaking its largest recruitment drive to date, Electricity North West has 30 vacancies up for grabs across its craft, civil engineering, IT and higher-level engineering apprenticeship schemes. The roles will play a key part in the network’s ambition to lead the North West to net zero.

Open to people aged 16 and above, successful applicants will be in training for up to three years at the power network operator’s state-of-the-art Training Academy as well as various depots throughout the region.

Peter Emery, chief executive at Electricity North West, said: “We’re extremely proud of our apprenticeship scheme which is going from strength-to-strength.

“Our new intake of apprentices will play a crucial role in developing the power network to enable more of us in the region to adopt clean green low carbon technologies such as electric heat pumps and electric vehicles as the UK continues to move away from traditional fossil fuels like gas and oil.

“It’s a unique and exciting time to be joining us. In the next decade there will be a million electric vehicles on the region’s roads, up from just 12,000 today. They will all need charging and that means increased demand on the electricity network to make it happen. The network is simply crucial to delivering net zero for the region.”

Apprenticeships available include IT project management and cyber security, civil engineering, operational engineers, control engineers, design engineers, jointers, fitters and overhead line workers.

Last year, Electricity North West’s apprenticeship programme scooped the highly prestigious North West Recruitment Excellence Award at the National Apprenticeship Awards with the judges praising its focus on inclusion and diversity, school engagement and career progression.

The programme was also highly commended in the Apprenticeship Large Employer of the year category.

Chris Havard, training academy and apprenticeship programme manager, added: “We were immensely proud to both win and be highly commended in two categories at the National Apprenticeship Awards.

“It’s huge for Electricity North West to be recognised at the awards and I’m really pleased to say we were able to come out on top of some highly successful apprenticeship programmes in the North West.

“This year’s recruitment drive is our biggest yet and that owes to the success of the programme, there’s never been a better time to be joining the business and I encourage anyone with an enthusiasm for engineering and the environment to apply.”

The deadline to apply is Friday 25 February. To apply, please visit here.  

For more information about Electricity North West, please visit www.enwl.co.uk