2026 Substation Engineer Advanced Apprentice Central (West Anglia), Asset Operations

Work at the heart of National Grid. Would you like to work for a company that makes electricity happen for every single person in England and Wales? A company that invests billions in Net Zero and creating a brighter energy future?

On this apprenticeship, you will be working towards a Level 3 EAL Subsidiary Diploma in Engineering Technologies. You will also be paid over £24,000 a year while you train, with free food, accommodation, and travel. The training is carried out through a combination of courses run at our Global Technical Training Centre of Excellence and on-site training on real transmission equipment in a live substation environment.

Our three-year Advanced Apprenticeship Substations will train you to become a technician in one of our 347 substations. Our substations are instrumental in the transmission of high voltage electricity over England and Wales, transforming high voltage electricity into low voltage electricity, which can be used in homes and businesses. Our technicians play a vital role in looking after our substations. Without their careful maintenance, the safe, reliable supply of electricity simply could not happen. This apprenticeship will allow you to become one of them.

You’ll be learning to do things like maintenance work on power transformers, main connections, and terminals. You’ll be repairing different types of joints and working with things such as air systems, batteries, and environmental battery charger systems. Following strict safety guidelines, you will carry out the maintenance, repair, and monitoring of high-voltage substation equipment. This will include circuit breakers, transformers, disconnectors, compressors, and auxiliary systems.

It’s important that you deliver all works with safety being at the heart of all actions and decisions. Demonstrating safety behaviours by not walking past, following process and rules, and speaking up where things don’t look right. You’ll be working towards Senior Authorised Person (SAP), leading teams of fitters and contractors on high voltage substation projects ensuring they are set to work in the correct manner, including the provision of risk assessments and method statements, and that toolbox talks take place. You’ll also be managing, monitoring, and reviewing progress on safety critical works.

Undertake site delivery activities of projects as the appointed temporary works co-ordinator and principal contractor as defined in CDM regs, and helping keep the UK’s electricity network running smoothly. You’ll also join a standby rota for emergency call outs, earning additional payments for your expertise and availability.

This role is based across the Central region. This means you'll be expected to travel around this region as part of your role. Due to the nature of this role, you'll need to live within a 45-minute drive of the following postcode: LU4 9UL.

You are driven and proactive, with an appetite for continuous improvement. You know how to build on your existing knowledge and skills and have the enthusiasm to run with things and to try to make them better. You’re articulate and know how to communicate appropriately with different people. You are a flexible multitasker who can do multiple jobs at the same time and still pay great attention to detail. It doesn’t matter if you’re not academically dazzling; we want practical people with engineering mindsets who are really keen to apply themselves.

Our Advanced Apprenticeships are for people who have FIVE GCSEs, including passes in Maths and English Language (or equivalent) graded 4/C or above. By the end of your first year, you’ll need a driving licence that permits you to drive in the UK. You must be able to live away from home; primarily at our Eakring academy in Nottinghamshire.

We are proud to offer a starting salary of £24,306. As a first step to your career in the energy industry, our Advanced Apprenticeship Programmes are like no other! You’ll gain an insight into how we work at National Grid, understand what a career with us can offer, and receive some great rewards and benefits:

• You’ll get 26 days annual leave plus statutory holidays.
• You could earn a £250 bonus, depending on performance.
• Double-matched pension contribution scheme.
• We will pay for one professional membership subscription.
• Our My Discounts scheme offers discounts on everything from the weekly shop to your annual summer holidays.

National Grid is committed to the personal development of our staff. Joining us, you’ll be supported as you develop a wide range of business and technical skills through structured training and on-the-job experience. You’ll work closely with your line manager to establish and navigate through a Personal Development Plan that is tailored to your needs.

National Grid is at the heart of the energy future, and our people are at the heart of National Grid. We’re 30,000 colleagues strong. In the UK, National Grid doesn’t generate or sell energy - we join the dots to get energy from A to B. From making a cup of tea in the morning to keeping the lights on in hospitals, our electricity network puts power in the hands of people. Without it, the world as we know it would grind to a halt. The world of energy is changing beyond recognition as we focus on building a cleaner, greener future. Working at National Grid, you won’t just be touching the lives of almost everyone in the UK - you’ll be shaping the way we use and consume energy for generations to come.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the heart of who we are and what we do. Our commitment to these values is unwavering and they are central to our mission. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities, and industries and we are happy to discuss any adjustments that you require.

You can only apply for one Apprenticeship opportunity during this recruitment cycle. We recruit on a rolling basis and reserve the right to close our vacancies once we have enough applications/based on volume of applications. We encourage you to apply as early as possible to ensure you obtain the place you want in the application process. Assessment centres will be held between January - April 2026.

National Grid's Apprenticeship programme in the UK is open to all applicants who meet the eligibility criteria including an existing and valid right to work in the UK. As part of the application process, this will need to be evidenced and verified before you can start the programme. Please note that in most cases, National Grid is unable to offer sponsorship for employment under the UK points-based immigration system. As such, applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK without requiring sponsorship now or in the future under the UK points-based immigration system. However, in exceptional circumstances where there is a clear and demonstrable need for specialist skills that cannot be sourced from the local labour market, National Grid may consider offering sponsorship. All applications are welcome from candidates who meet these requirements, regardless of race, nationality, or ethnic origin. Please be aware that it’s your responsibility to explore avenues of working in the UK, as we’re not able to provide advice on this.