Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) has unveiled its next generation of energy workers to help keep the lights on and tackle climate change.
The 40 new recruits will play a vital role in delivering a secure, reliable and cost-effective service to the households, businesses and communities SSEN serves – including the Isle of Wight.
With the UK government setting ambitious targets to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, the apprentices will support the delivery of electricity infrastructure that enables the low-carbon transition across central southern England. Parent company SSE was one of the first companies to call for a net zero target, putting sustainable development at the heart of its strategy.
These 40 new apprentices and trainees will be living, working and training in urban and rural locations from the upper edge of Oxfordshire to the Isle of Wight and from Poole to West London, and will now form part of SSEN’s green workforce supporting the low carbon transition.
Over the next 3 to 4 years, the group of apprentices and trainees will learn every aspect of SSEN’s central southern England network that spans nearly 29,000km and keeps the lights on for over three million customers. They will be part of SSEN’s £185 million investment up to 2022; learning to manage, maintain and build the infrastructure that will deliver a safe and secure supply of electricity across the country, while helping the UK meet its climate change commitments.
Director of Operations for SSEN in the south, Stuart Hogarth has welcomed the new recruits, saying:
“It was exactly 40 years ago that I arrived here as an apprentice myself, so it feels fitting to welcome 40 new colleagues to a business that has nurtured my skills and career over the years.
“We are working towards a brighter, greener future and as our business constantly changes and evolves, so will the goals and ambitions of the young people that have joined SSEN’s training programmes and we will provide them with all the knowledge and support they need to grow and develop in our fast-moving industry.
Article continues below this advertisement “In the next few years, they will earn while they learn, developing all the skills they need to take their careers – and the needs of our customers – into the low carbon world of tomorrow.”
Positions in this current intake include apprentice jointers, electrical fitters and linesmen and women working on the poles, cables and substations which deliver power to homes and businesses across SSEN’s distribution region.
In the last 5 years SSE has recruited more than 650 apprentices with around £80,000 invested in the training and development of each recruit. Many of these jobs are in rural areas, providing high quality, well paid training opportunities which support local economies and communities across the UK.
SSEN’s apprenticeship and training programmes see recruits gain a range of practical and classroom-based skills and experience. Most apprenticeships take four years to complete and the offer entrants the opportunity to gain a nationally recognised qualification.
