THIS IS NOT A DRILL, POWER UP YOUR NEXT CAREER
Category: Job Finding
Publish date: 30/09/2022
We are Britain’s largest electricity network, delivering power across East Anglia, London and the South East of England, together with UK Power Networks Services, which provides infrastructure services for the Ministry of Defence and other clients.
Having first signed the Armed Forces Covenant in 2015, UK Power Networks have worked hard to advocate for the Armed Forces and support those who are looking for civilian roles outside of the military.
This year, UK Power Networks proudly received the Gold award in the Ministry of Defence’s Employer Recognition Scheme. This is the highest accreditation given to businesses and organisations that go above and beyond for the Armed Forces, its personnel and their families. All our vacancies are advertised on RightJob, and we regularly work with the CTP to offer Civilian Work Attachments and host Career Insight Days for recent and upcoming Service leavers.
Our next careers event is taking place on Thursday 20th October 2022 at the Imperial War Museum in London. This year, we’ve invited Alliance and key supply chain partners to exhibit at the event and maximise attendees’ opportunities with a range of employers and potential careers across the UK.
UK Power Networks recognises the wealth of transferable skills held by individuals who have served their country. These include skills that are vital to an organisation where safety is the number one priority, and where there is a need to follow strict processes to ensure the safety of employees and the general public. The Armed Forces Community at UK Power Networks is now more than 70 strong, all of whom are veterans, reservists, military spouses or CFAVs. The community acts as a support network for people who have been through similar experiences, helps to promote UK Power Networks as a ‘forces friendly’ employer, and shapes our military engagement strategy.
Early Engagement and Civilian Work Attachments
Anita Boye, recruitment specialist at UK Power Networks, matches future Service leavers with employees who can give them an insight to the electricity industry, using the Armed Forces Community where possible.
Anita says: “We’ve found that Service leavers are often excited to work with people who understand their background and can give relevant advice to support their future career development. We try to pair them up with people in roles they aspire to be in themselves, by finding common ground between the individuals who reach out to us and the people in our company’s Armed Forces community."
Alastair Smith, who was serving as a military engineer electrician with the Royal Engineers when he completed his Civilian Work Attachment says: “Opening the lines of communication and establishing that early engagement on my resettlement journey with UK Power Networks Services was vital. This enabled me to shape a very specific resettlement plan. After gaining my HNC Electrical Engineering I was ready to apply to UK Power Networks and secured a position as Senior Project Manager earlier this year!”
Alastair’s mentor was Ross Corbishley, a project engineer for UK Power Networks Services in Aldershot, who has a deep connection with the military himself, as his brother is ex-Army Royal Engineers.
Future Skills
The way customers are using electricity is changing, meaning the electricity network is having to adapt as well - enabling people to connect more low carbon technologies such as EV chargers and heat pumps, to help drive the UK towards its Net Zero goal.
It’s a very exciting time to be in the electricity distribution industry and UK Power Networks is playing a crucial part in helping to facilitate the energy transition. To support the UK in achieving its ambitious Net Zero by 2050 target, UK Power Networks is investing in both its electricity network and workforce. We’re recruiting new talent and upskilling existing employees in both traditional engineering roles such as cable jointers and overhead linespeople, as well as new skillsets such as analytics and digital.
This year, UK Power Networks will be recruiting over 50 Experienced Apprentices to start in 2023. This two-year training programme equips individuals with the skills and experience needed to safely and competently work on the electricity network in one of three crafts: cable jointer, electrical fitter and overhead linesperson. The hands-on engineering apprenticeship sets apprentices up with a job for life, working on the electricity network and keeping the lights on for the communities the company serves.
David Ground, former Royal Marine and UK Power Networks Experienced Apprentice - now a fully qualified extra high voltage electrical plant fitter - says: “I knew when I left the Marines I wanted to learn a new trade. Initially I worked as a self-employed electrician but wanted more stability and progression. The apprenticeship and subsequent training I have received has been great! I love what I do, no two days are the same and I get to practice my craft every day.”
Applications for the 2023 UK Power Networks’ Experienced Apprenticeship Programme are opening soon. Visit
ukpowernetworkscareers.co.uk/careers to apply!
If you’re interested in discovering more about us and our offering, why not attend the Armed Forces Careers Insight Day on the 20th October 2022 where you’ll have the opportunity to meet with the recruitment team, members of the training team and ex-military apprentice alumni.