Substation Engineer Apprentice Sout East Asset Operations

2026 Substation Engineer Higher Apprentice South East (Gravesend), Asset Operations

Join to apply for the 2026 Substation Engineer Higher Apprentice South East (Gravesend), Asset Operations role at National Grid
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Ensuring the future of electricity transmission – we don’t think of engineering as a job, we think of it as a legacy, a way of passing on a brighter energy future and keeping the lights on.

Would you like to be part of it? How about working for a company that makes electricity happen for every single person in England and Wales, investing billions in Net Zero and creating a brighter energy future? How about being paid over £30,000 a year while you train, with free food, free accommodation, and free travel too?

Our Three‑year Higher Apprenticeship Substations programme will train you to become an engineer in one of our substations, where we transform high‑voltage electricity into low‑voltage electricity to make it usable for homes and businesses.

You’ll be learning about testing equipment, safety, protection and control of the system, substation refurbishment maintenance, technical support, problem diagnosis and fault fixing.

At the end of the three years, you’ll have a Level 4 Higher National Certificate in Power Network Electrical Power Protection & Plant Commissioning. Most importantly, you’ll have a permanent job waiting for you!

A job where the decisions you make will impact the transmission of electricity in England and Wales for the next 40 or 50 years. You’ll be delivering maintenance work, replacing and refurbishing assets, fixing mechanical and electrical issues, and connecting new customers. You’ll help connect energy from renewable sources such as wind and solar farms to the transmission network.

• It’s important that you deliver all works with safety at the heart of all actions and decisions. Demonstrate 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, method statements and carrying out toolbox talks.
• You’ll also manage, monitor and review progress on safety‑critical works. Undertake site delivery activities of projects as the appointed temporary works co‑ordinator and principle contractor under CDM regulations, and help keep the UK’s electricity network running smoothly.
• You’ll join a standby rota for emergency call‑outs, earning additional payments for your expertise and availability.

This role is based across the South East region. You’ll be expected to travel around this region as part of your role.

Due to the nature of this role, you need to live within a 45‑minute drive of the postcode DA11 8HX.

You're driven, proactive, and always seeking ways to improve. You build on your existing knowledge and skills as second nature, and you have the enthusiasm to take things to the next level. Communication comes naturally, and you adapt your approach to connect with different people.

As a flexible multitasker, you can handle multiple responsibilities while paying great attention to detail. Academic brilliance isn’t the only quality we value; we are looking for practical individuals with engineering mindsets eager to apply themselves.

• You’ll have two A‑Levels, including Maths or Physics graded C or above, or a BTEC that includes a Maths or Engineering module.
• A valid UK driving licence that allows you to drive three months before your start date.
• You’ll need to live away from home during your training, primarily at our Eakring Training Centre in Nottinghamshire. You will also spend time in Loughborough studying for your Higher National Certificate in Electrical Power Protection and Plant Commissioning. Typically, you’ll stay on‑site Monday to Thursday and return home Friday to Sunday. The amount of time spent at Eakring will decrease as you progress through the programme:
  Year 1 – around 75%;
  Year 2 – around 50%;
  Year 3 – around 25%.

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