2026 Telecoms Higher Apprentice, National Grid Electricity Distribution - Plymouth

NATIONAL GRID LIMITED; Plymouth; Hybrid; GBP 26,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading electricity distribution company is looking for candidates for their higher apprenticeship scheme in telecommunications. This role involves a mix of on-the-job training and formal education, enabling candidates to gain valuable skills and experience in the industry while earning a competitive starting salary of £26,899. Successful candidates will have strong communication skills, a passion for technology, and relevant academic qualifications. Additional benefits include annual leave, a pension scheme, and opportunities for career development.

Benefits

23 days annual leave

Competitive pension scheme

Fully funded qualification

Employee Assistance Programme

Qualifications

• Expected to achieve qualifications as listed.
• Held qualifications must be evidenced upon request.

Responsibilities

• Participate in on-the-job training across various locations.
• Design, install, and support telecom services.

Skills

Interest in telecommunications

Excellent communication skills

Ability to work effectively within a team

Passion for technology

Education

GCSE Maths and English Language Grade C/4

Two 'A' levels at grades A* - C

Relevant Level 3 or Level 4 qualifications

Job description

About us

The teams at National Grid Telecoms are all about networking. They join data technology in lots of different ways to deliver connected and bespoke communications solutions that meet customers’ needs. National Grid Telecom teams enable the electricity network to be managed remotely, enabling customers’ power to be restored more quickly without having to dispatch engineers into the location.

Our talented teams are some of the best in the business, working with the most advanced technology and infrastructure, and always adapting and innovating as the industry evolves. In fact, first class services and state‑of‑the‑art facilities continue to drive our growth and create opportunities for people who share our commitment, energy and ambition. There are opportunities to get involved in innovative work in a sector that continues to grow dynamically, with career development supported and enabled by on‑going training.

About The Role

The National Grid Telecoms team are looking for a people to join our higher apprenticeship scheme that will develop the knowledge, skills and understanding required to begin an exciting career.

Training will be provided over a period of approximately four years. It will be a mix of on‑the‑job and formal courses held in our Training Centre at Taunton and other institutions as appropriate.

The majority of on‑the‑job training will take place within local teams working alongside experienced professionals within the industry. You will be required to undertake placements at other locations across the NGED service area, so you will need to be flexible and able to travel.

The National Grid Telecoms team is responsible for designing, installing, commissioning and supporting Telecommunications services across the NGED region. These services include Radio Communications for monitoring the Electricity Network, Mobile Radio for all NGED vehicles, Data Communications between NGED Offices and many other associated technologies.

Effective liaison with customers and external contractors, at a variety of management levels, is a key part of delivering these services so the ability to communicate clearly and build relationships is very important.

As the post you are applying for attracts a National Security Vetting clearance there are further eligibility requirements, information can be found on thegov.uk website. To meet national security vetting requirements, you will normally need to have been resident in the UK for at least 5 years for Security Clearance (SC) prior to the date of application. There are exceptions to this however and examples of these include:

• you have been serving overseas with HM Forces or in some other official capacity as a representative of HM Government
• you were studying abroad
• you were living overseas with parents

If you have any further queries relating to National Security Vetting, please [e-mail]

Start date September 2026. Please note that we are unable to accommodate any annual leave during these first 12 weeks of training.

This role can be based at either our Plymouth depot (PL4 0SD) or Exeter depot (EX2 7WP).

Operationally we require you to live within approximately 45 minutes of the depot you are applying for. Please only submit one application. If you appear to be a good match for more than one location, we will consider your suitability during the process. Multiple applications will not be considered.

What You’ll Need

• An interest in telecommunications
• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to work effectively within a team
• Passion for technology and why things work

The successful candidates will hold or be expecting to achieve at least grade C/4 in GCSE Maths and English Language, two ‘A’ levels at grades A* - C, one of which must be in one of the following subjects:

Mathematics, Physics, ICT, Computing or Design and Technology.

Alternatively, relevant Level 3 or Level 4 qualifications will be considered. Please ensure that you provide details of your qualifications within your application and be prepared to provide proof of these qualifications upon request.

If your qualifications are predicated, you must receive your confirmed results prior to the commencement of the scheme.

Whatever qualifications you hold, we will need to see evidence of them for you to be considered. If possible, please upload evidence of the required qualifications with your application. These can be scanned or photographed and attached as a PDF document.

If you are offered a position, you will be required to successfully complete a basic DBS check that shows any unspent convictions or conditional cautions.

What You’ll Get

Joining the UK’s leading electricity distribution business means plenty of career opportunities and well‑deserved recognition. We reward hard work and encourage ambition, which is why we offer a competitive starting salary of £26,899. You will then see your salary increase as you become more experienced, following the timeline below:

• Year 2 - £35,817
• Year 3 - £43,491
• Year 4 (Developmental role) - £47,197
• Apprenticeship Completion - £53,379

In addition to this, you will also receive the following benefits:

• 23 days annual leave, raising to 26 upon completion of the training programme
• Competitive pension scheme (Double matched up to 12%) and Sharesave options
• Earn whilst you learn and receive a fully funded qualification
• Develop well‑rounded skills, learning from experienced and qualified professionals in the industry
• Employee Assistance Programme is there to take care of you and includes musculoskeletal and physiotherapy services if you need them

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.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early should sufficient numbers of suitable applications be received, so it would be best to apply as soon as you.

Applicants for our Apprenticeship programmes should be aware that we are unable to provide sponsorship if you require a visa for our apprenticeship programmes.

Please be aware that it’s your responsibility to explore avenues of working in the UK, as were not able to provide advice on this.

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

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