2026 Substation Engineer Advanced Apprentice North East Wearside (Durham), Asset Operations

National Grid; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading energy company in the UK offers an Advanced Apprenticeship where you will earn £24,306 while you train towards a Level 3 Engineering Diploma. You'll receive on-the-job training, learn maintenance for high-voltage equipment, and be involved in vital electricity transmission activities across the North East Wearside region. Opportunities for personal development and attractive benefits are included.

Benefits

26 days annual leave

Potential £250 bonus

Double-matched pension contribution

Discounts on various retailers

Qualifications

• FIVE GCSEs, including grades 4/C or above in Maths and English.
• Must obtain a valid UK driving licence by the end of the first year.
• Capability to live away from home during training.

Responsibilities

• Maintenance, repair, and monitoring of high-voltage substation equipment.
• Participate in safety-critical works and risk assessments.
• Join standby rota for emergency call outs.

Skills

Proactive attitude

Attention to detail

Multitasking

Education

Five GCSEs including passes in Maths and English Language

Job description

About The Role

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.

As you can probably tell, these apprenticeships are for people who really want to get stuck in. If that sounds like it might be you, we’d be very interested in receiving your application.

Here some extra information we thought was important for you to know:

• 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 principle 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.

Location

This role is based across the North East Wearside 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: DH6 2RX

About You

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’s 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.

What You'll Get

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. You’ll find savings on cinema tickets and at a range of high street retailers, including Sainsburys, John Lewis, Currys, Argos and Marks and Spencer.

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.

About National Grid

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.

Our Values and Principles

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.

Further Information

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.

For information about visas please visit https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas