Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) is looking to the future and its next generation of engineers with an event bringing local school students to the company's training centre in central southern England.
Around 60 fifteen- to eighteen-year-old students spent the day at SSEN's Thatcham Training School, where former apprentices - who have now completed their training and are working in a variety of roles across SSEN - highlighted the opportunities available to school leavers through SSEN's apprenticeship schemes.
The pupils from nine schools across Berkshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire and Surrey were given a guided tour of the training centre with opportunities to take part in networking sessions, quizzes, and interactive activities, and were given tips on applying for apprenticeships and guidance on careers in engineering and the energy industry.
SSEN's Director of Networks Business Transformation, Stuart Hogarth explains why events like today's are instrumental in giving school pupils a chance to see if apprenticeships and training courses are a fit for their future:
"Many of the pupils we invited to this event will be either in the process of taking subjects, or will be thinking about the ones they need to take in the future, to set them on the path to their chosen career, so it's important to let them see the huge variety of roles and prospects they could have in the energy industry."
"Apprenticeships and training schemes are especially close to my heart, having started with SSE as an apprentice back in 1979. This event lets our colleagues relay their career journeys to the young adults attending and who are thinking about how they'll start on their own journey into work while letting them ask the questions that they need to form their decision-making process."
SSEN is part of the SSE Group and since 2007 more than 1,100 apprentices and TSTs have been hired by SSE - a total training investment of £88m or £80,000 per recruit. SSE offers apprenticeship programmes lasting three to four years in nine different areas. SSE trainees help maintain over 200,000 km of SSE's power lines across its distribution and transmission networks and its power stations, wind farms and hydro projects as well as carrying out commercial or domestic work. It puts trainees through foundation degrees as well as giving them work experience across the business. Graduates then join a two-year rotational programme to develop their skills and experience.
If you know of a friend or member of your family who may be interested in a career with SSEN, please refer them to www.ssen.co.uk/careers to learn more about our apprenticeship and training programmes.
Schools taking part in the event on Tuesday 30 January were:
- Basingstoke College of Technology - Basingstoke, Hampshire
- John Mason School - Abingdon, Oxfordshire
- Kendrick School - Reading, Berkshire
- Kennet School - Thatcham, Berkshire
- Larkmead School - Abingdon, Oxfordshire
- Leighton Park School - Reading, Berkshire
- Matthew Arnold School - Staines, Surrey
- The Willink School - Reading, Berkshire