Substation Craftsperson Advanced Apprentice - East Kent

NATIONAL GRID PLC

Ashford, TN25 6AF

Closes on Friday 28 February

Posted on 19 December 2024

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Contents

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 qualification as a Power Industry Substation Fitter.

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 substation fitter (level 3)
Hours
Monday - Friday, 9.00am - 5.00pm.

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 Substations programme will train you to become a craftsperson in our substations. Here, we transform high-voltage electricity into low-voltage electricity, making it usable for homes and businesses.

As a technician, you'll play a vital role in maintaining our substations and ensuring a safe and reliable electricity supply.

During the apprenticeship, you'll learn

  • Maintenance techniques for power transformers, main connections, terminals, and various types of joints
  • Experience working with air systems, batteries, and environmental battery charger systems
  • Following strict safety guidelines, you'll be responsible for the maintenance, repair, and monitoring of high-voltage substation equipment, including circuit breakers, transformers, disconnectors, compressors, and auxiliary systems

Your skills and expertise will contribute to the smooth operation of our substations and the overall electricity transmission network.

Where you’ll work

Church Lane

Sellindge

Ashford

TN25 6AF

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 substation fitter (level 3)

Equal to A level

Course contents
  • Review drawings, instructions, or information to understand the task for example, work instructions, design specifications, utility plans, on-line search documents.
  • Prioritise and plan tasks 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.
  • Receive and clear a safety document. Brief a working party.
  • Follow substation access and egress procedures.
  • Identify hazards and risks and apply control measures.
  • Apply health and safety procedures in compliance with regulations, standards, and guidance. For example, 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 condition.
  • Apply security measures for example, set alarm system, remove climbing aides.
  • Apply sustainability principles for example, minimising waste.
  • Segregate waste for reuse, recycling, and waste transfer.
  • Conduct plant or vehicle checks.
  • Use working at height access equipment for example, scaffold towers and ladders.
  • Select, inspect, and use working at height personal protective equipment.
  • Select, check, prepare, use, and store hand tools and power tools.
  • Select, check, and prepare resources.
  • Identify areas for improvement. For example, in relation to quality, cost, time, safety, or environmental impact.
  • Apply team working principles.
  • Communicate with others to give and receive information for example, colleagues, customers, and stakeholders.
  • Escalate issues outside limits of responsibility.
  • Record information.
  • Produce or amend documents for example, handover notes, procedures, and reports.
  • Use digital and information technology. Follow cyber security requirements.
  • Carry out and record planned and unplanned learning and development activities.
  • Read, interpret, and follow maintenance specifications.
  • Conduct diagnostic testing to identify asset condition; identify action.
  • Conduct continuity testing using a continuity test instrument or multimeter.
  • Conduct joint or contact resistance testing using a contact resistance tester (ductor).
  • Conduct insulation testing using an insulation test instrument.
  • Conduct circuit breaker timing tests.
  • Set up oil pumping equipment.
  • Remove and replace insulating oil from substation plant avoiding contamination.
  • Clean oil filled equipment following removal of insulating oil.
  • Check circuit breaker contact condition; remove and replace or dress.
  • Take oil samples from equipment.
  • Clean and lubricate operating mechanisms using approved lubricants.
  • Adjust, remove, and replace components for example, gaskets.
  • Conduct functional tests of equipment - post maintenance or routine.
  • Inspect substation site, buildings and equipment including steelwork and neutral earthing conductors and connections and identify defects.
  • Conduct electrical testing of earth electrodes using a digital earth resistance tester.
  • Joint earthing conductors using mechanical compression joints.
  • Check battery connections for any damage, clean cells, check monitoring alarms, check function of charging equipment.
  • Test substation batteries using voltage and analytical testing instruments.
  • Conduct supply checks of a low voltage single and three phase supply to identify: correct polarity, voltage, earth fault loop impedance and phase rotation.
  • Use electrical test instruments to diagnose a fault condition on low voltage distribution or control equipment for example open circuit, blown fuse, short circuit or out phase condition.
  • Interpret network schematic diagrams and geographic records to identify running arrangements prior to operation.
  • Prepare low voltage or high voltage switching operation schedules.
  • Operate network switching equipment such as switches, circuit breakers, links or fuses on low voltage or high voltage distribution networks.
  • Interpret network schematic diagrams prior to carrying out testing activities.
  • Use mobile elevated work platforms.
  • Use diagnostic equipment to identify asset condition; identify action.
  • Conduct testing using a continuity test instrument or multimeter.
  • Conduct resistance testing using a contact resistance tester (ductor).
  • Remove and replace insulating medium for example, oil, SF6 or air from transmission plant avoiding contamination.
  • Clean equipment following removal of insulating medium.
  • Check circuit breaker contact condition; remove and replace or dress.
  • Take insulation medium samples from equipment for example, oil, SF6.
  • Clean and lubricate operating mechanisms using approved lubricants.
  • Adjust or replace components.
  • Conduct functional tests of equipment, post maintenance or routine, to confirm operating to expected parameters.
  • Conduct a visual inspection of transmission steelwork earthing connections; identify issues.
  • Restore power.
  • Conduct transformer maintenance including tap changers, Buchholz relay, WTI, qualitrol, breathers, surge arrestors, coordinating gaps, arcing horns, insulator checks and recalibrating (LNER).
  • Conduct air system maintenance including making new pipework HP fittings, air leak detection and gas leak detection.
  • Conduct ancillary equipment maintenance.
  • Read, interpret, and follow representations, drawings, and graphical information to complete tasks. For example, multicore diagrams, schematics, and core sheets.
  • Prove plant, equipment, cabling, and system is safe to work on. For example, prove dead, isolate.
  • Check earthing is in place. For example, additional earths, equipment earths, and drain earths.
  • Follow lifting plan.
  • Install batteries. Check function and action as required.
  • Position transformers.
  • Locate and fix high voltage switchgear.
  • Select, position, and install AC/DC supply power cable and power wiring.
  • Apply mechanical connections, brazing, and welding techniques.
  • Lay and fix earth tape within excavation and to plant and equipment.
  • Produce wiring core sheets from wiring diagrams.
  • Select, position, and install containment management system. For example, unistrut, ladder tray, and trunking.
  • Select, position, and connect multi-core wiring including glanding, looming, crimping, and ferruling. For example, panel wiring within a protection panel and switchgear. Apply labelling and identification system.
  • Use test instruments. For example, volt meters, multi-function tester, and resistance tester.
  • Conduct mechanical testing. For example, torque and proof loading.
  • Conduct alignment checks.
  • Take oil samples for testing.
  • Apply diagnostic fault-finding techniques.
  • Interpret test results and action as required.
  • Replace components within equipment.
  • Remove cabling and equipment.
  • Review drawings, instructions, or information to understand the task for example, work instructions, design specifications, utility plans, on-line search documents.
  • Prioritise and plan tasks 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.
  • Receive and clear a safety document. Brief a working party.
  • Follow substation access and egress procedures.
  • Identify hazards and risks and apply control measures.
  • Apply health and safety procedures in compliance with regulations, standards, and guidance. For example, 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 condition.
  • Apply security measures for example, set alarm system, remove climbing aides.
  • Apply sustainability principles for example, minimising waste.
  • Segregate waste for reuse, recycling, and waste transfer.
  • Conduct plant or vehicle checks.
  • Use working at height access equipment for example, scaffold towers and ladders.
  • Select, inspect, and use working at height personal protective equipment.
  • Select, check, prepare, use, and store hand tools and power tools.
  • Select, check, and prepare resources.
  • Identify areas for improvement. For example, in relation to quality, cost, time, safety, or environmental impact.
  • Apply team working principles.
  • Communicate with others to give and receive information for example, colleagues, customers, and stakeholders.
  • Escalate issues outside limits of responsibility.
  • Record information.
  • Produce or amend documents for example, handover notes, procedures, and 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
  • You will get a Level 3 Power Network Craftsperson qualification at the end of the 3 years

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
  • Problem solving skills
  • Analytical skills
  • Logical
  • Team working
  • Initiative
  • Patience
  • Reliable
  • Adaptable
  • Responsible

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

  • By the end of the programme, you'll hold a Level 3 qualification as a Power Industry Substation Fitter, and most importantly, have a job waiting for you!

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

NATIONAL GRID PLC

box.ukapprentices@nationalgrid.com

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000292974.

Apply now

Closes on Friday 28 February

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