Award winning National Grid Programme

National Grid wins the Personnel Today Early Careers Award 2024. 

This award recognises all the fantastic work that National Grid does with its #SocialMobility partners. Young Enterprise is very proud to be one of them! Our partnership with National Grid supports young people with early career opportunities, making them as accessible as possible to people of all ages in communities facing the greatest barriers to social mobility. We are excited to work with National Grid to help young people to fulfil their potential.

The programme aims to source talented young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to help them kickstart a career in energy. National Grid collaborates with charities to provide training, learning resources and employment opportunities for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, so together we can give young people meaningful employment whilst supporting the journey to net zero.

With the support from Young Enterprise and other charity partners, so far they have achieved:

• 11,000+ young people meaningfully upskilled

• 2,500+ National Grid volunteers have supported.

• 1,050+ events held.

• 73,110 volunteering hours have been delivered.

This has resulted in:

• 397 young people receiving work experience placements across National Grid.

• 100+ young people applying for graduate/apprentice roles.

• 78 starting early-career roles in National Grid.

As a charity partner, we use our networks built within communities, schools, colleges and universities to seek out young people facing the biggest barriers to opportunity, including those in social mobility cold spots, young carers, and young people from minority ethnic and low-income families. Young people on the programme experience a unique recruitment process, with additional support and coaching from existing employees/alumni. The process is tailored to remove any potential barriers and helps them dream big and gain the confidence and skills to enter the world of work.

A huge well done to Annabelle Armes, YE’s Programme Manager, and those we work closely with at National Grid. Thank you for letting us be a part of something that changes young people’s lives.