Overhead Lines Craftsperson Advanced Apprentice - Newcastle - Upon -Tyne

NATIONAL GRID PLC

East Boldon, NE36 0BG

Closes on Friday 28 February

Posted on 19 December 2024


Summary

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 Power Network Craftsperson qualification.

Annual wage
£23,148 a year

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

You’ll get 26 days annual leave plus statutory holidays We have a double-matched pension contribution scheme There is the option to buy discounted National Grid shares We will pay for one professional membership subscription

Training course
Power industry overhead linesperson (level 3)
Hours
Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.

37 hours 30 minutes a week

Possible start date

Monday 1 September

Duration

3 years

Positions available

1

Work

As an apprentice, you’ll work at a company and get hands-on experience. You’ll gain new skills and work alongside experienced staff.

What you’ll do at work

Our three-year Advanced Apprenticeship will train you to become an Overhead Lines Power Network Craftsperson, providing site support to our electrical power network. You'll play a crucial role in the safe construction, maintenance, and repair of the UK's power network, ensuring a reliable supply of electricity to the country. This dynamic role will take you to various locations across our network.

As an Advanced Apprentice, you'll experience a fast-paced and varied work life. No two days will be the same. Some of the tasks you can expect to be involved in include:

  • Working in accordance with safe practices and procedures, conducting risk assessments, and ensuring safety while working at heights.
  • Climbing steel towers to install, maintain, test, repair, and dismantle overhead line equipment, solving problems with an organized and practical approach.
  • Operating vehicles equipped with tools and materials, traveling to remote job sites.
  • Safely operating plant and equipment like winches, Telehandlers, and MEWPs.
  • Shadowing experienced linespersons to gain new skills and knowledge in the field.
  • Receiving training at our Training Facility in Eakring (Nottinghamshire) to enhance your skills and knowledge.
  • Working outdoors in various locations, embracing different weather conditions.
  • Collaborating as an enthusiastic team player to achieve challenging tasks.
  • Receiving Health and Safety training leading to role-specific authorizations.
  • Being away from home and working in different zones/geographical areas to develop your skills.

 

Where you’ll work

Newcastle Road

West Boldon

East Boldon

NE36 0BG

Training

An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.

College or training organisation

NATIONAL GRID PLC

Your training course

Power industry overhead linesperson (level 3)

Equal to A level

Course contents
  • Review drawings, instructions, or information to understand the task for example, work instructions, wiring diagrams, design specifications, utility plans, on-line search documents.
  • Prioritise and plan work with consideration for safety, environmental impact, quality, and cost.
  • Identify and organise resources to complete tasks for example, consumables.
  • Identify apparatus to be worked on.
  • Conduct plant or vehicle checks.
  • Receive and clear a safety document (permit to work). Brief a working party.
  • Identify hazards and risks and apply control measures.
  • Apply health and safety procedures in compliance with regulations, standards, and guidance. For example, safe access and egress, demarcate the work area, working at height, confined spaces, COSHH.
  • Respond in the event of an emergency first aid situation including situations where there is electrical risk.
  • Apply measures to leave power work environments in a safe and secure condition for example, anticlimbing guards, danger notices, barriers, lighting.
  • Apply sustainability principles for example, minimising waste.
  • Segregate waste for reuse, recycling, and waste transfer.
  • Select, check, prepare, use or operate, and store personal tools and equipment.
  • Use working at height equipment for example, mobile working platforms, scaffolding, ladders.
  • Select, inspect, and use personal climbing equipment to access and manoeuvre to a work position at height on overhead line plant and apparatus.
  • Fit and operate a rescue device at height.
  • Select, check, and prepare resources.
  • Record information.
  • Identify areas for improvement. For example, in relation to quality, cost, time, safety, and environmental impact.
  • Communicate with others to give and receive information for example, colleagues, customers, and stakeholders.
  • Apply team working principles.
  • Report or escalate issues outside limits of responsibility.
  • Produce or amend documents for example, handover notes, procedures, reports.
  • Use digital and information technology. Follow cyber security requirements.
  • Carry out and record planned and unplanned learning and development activities.
  • Select and operate lifting equipment in overhead lines distribution work for example, cranes and winches.
  • Carry out visual inspection to identify evidence of overhead services and buried utilities. Use locating equipment.
  • Mark the position of services and sub-structures on the work site.
  • Follow procedures for working on or in proximity to live apparatus.
  • Select and use specialist LV live working PPE.
  • Erect overhead lines plant and apparatus for example, poles, support mechanisms, stays.
  • Install circuit main earths (CMEs) and additional (drain) earths.
  • Install fixed earthing conductors and carry out earth electrode testing.
  • Install cut outs.
  • Install or replace conductors, insulators and ancillary equipment on overhead line plant or apparatus including sagging, tensioning and termination where required.
  • Install, connect, and commission pole mounted plant and apparatus for example, transformers, pole mounted circuit breakers, and switchgear.
  • Dismantle pole mounted plant and apparatus for example, transformers, pole mounted circuit breakers, and switchgear.
  • Conduct pre-energisation tests.
  • Conduct post-energisation (commissioning) checks.
  • Perform testing procedures before and after switching operations.
  • Interpret testing procedure results and action required.
  • Operate switchgear and fuses making and breaking live conductor connections.
  • Recognise fault conditions and identify the root cause.
  • Replace components or resolve issues for example, replace high resistance joints or damaged conductor.
  • Apply customer service techniques.
  • Follow procedures for working on or in proximity to live apparatus.
  • Select and operate lifting equipment in overhead lines transmission work for example, cranes and winches.
  • Check overhead line plant and apparatus is safe to access, install flag and check wristlets if required.
  • Install access equipment for example, platforms, ladders, and spacer trollies.
  • Install high voltage temporary earthing equipment.
  • Carry out conductor compression jointing.
  • Connect spacers to conductors.
  • Test compression joints.
  • Review drawings, instructions, or information to understand the task for example, work instructions, wiring diagrams, design specifications, utility plans, on-line search documents.
  • Prioritise and plan work with consideration for safety, environmental impact, quality, and cost.
  • Identify and organise resources to complete tasks for example, consumables.
  • Identify apparatus to be worked on.
  • Conduct plant or vehicle checks.
  • Receive and clear a safety document (permit to work). Brief a working party.
  • Identify hazards and risks and apply control measures.
  • Apply health and safety procedures in compliance with regulations, standards, and guidance. For example, safe access and egress, demarcate the work area, working at height, confined spaces, COSHH.
  • Respond in the event of an emergency first aid situation including situations where there is electrical risk.
  • Apply measures to leave power work environments in a safe and secure condition for example, anticlimbing guards, danger notices, barriers, lighting.
  • Apply sustainability principles for example, minimising waste.
  • Segregate waste for reuse, recycling, and waste transfer.
  • Select, check, prepare, use or operate, and store personal tools and equipment.
  • Use working at height equipment for example, mobile working platforms, scaffolding, ladders.
  • Select, inspect, and use personal climbing equipment to access and manoeuvre to a work position at height on overhead line plant and apparatus.
  • Fit and operate a rescue device at height.
  • Select, check, and prepare resources.
  • Record information.
  • Identify areas for improvement. For example, in relation to quality, cost, time, safety, and environmental impact.
  • Communicate with others to give and receive information for example, colleagues, customers, and stakeholders.
  • Apply team working principles.
  • Report or escalate issues outside limits of responsibility.
  • Produce or amend documents for example, handover notes, procedures, reports.
  • Use digital and information technology. Follow cyber security requirements.
  • Carry out and record planned and unplanned learning and development activities.

Your training plan

Initially you will be at our National Training Centre in Eakring, Nottinghamshire for your Induction period which is around six weeks, then periodically for technical training.

In the first year, you will spend 70% of your time at the Eakring Training Centre with the remaining 30% on site (gathering site-based experience).

Year two will be 50/50 at Eakring and on site and in the
third year 70% on site and 30% at Eakring training centre.

More training information

  • Power industry overhead linesperson L3 Apprenticeship Standard


 

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE or equivalent in:

  • 5 GCSES (or equivalent) incl. Maths and English (grade 4 and above)

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

  • Communication skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Organisation skills
  • Problem solving skills
  • Analytical skills
  • Logical
  • Initiative
  • Physical fitness
  • Reliable
  • Adaptable
  • Responsible
  • Safety

Other requirements

You must be able to live away from home; primarily at our Eakring academy in Nottinghamshire. Food and accommodation are provided as standard.

About this company

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 don’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.

https://www.nationalgrid.com/uk (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

After all of this fantastic training and experience, you will want to spend the next few years putting this all into practice and continuing to build on your technical capability acquiring further technical certificates and qualifications.

The Power Network Advanced Apprenticeship is a level 3 programme designed to provide the skills and knowledge to work in the specialist area of expertise within the power network industry and develop apprentices into skilled craftsperson’s within Electricity Transmission. From there your opportunities within National Grid are endless, with a wide range of potential career options.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

NATIONAL GRID PLC

box.ukapprentices@nationalgrid.com

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000292927.

Apply now

Closes on Friday 28 February

When you apply, you’ll be asked to sign in with a GOV.UK One Login. You can create one at the same time as applying for this apprenticeship.

After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.