Student programmes
Industrial Programmes
This year-long placement is an ideal way to develop ‘hands-on' experience in a large organisation. Even better, it provides a head start for your career, both by letting you get a feel for different types of work, and by putting you in a strong position for future opportunities working for us.
Usually, we offer placements to students the year before they are due to finish their degree and are taking a year out to work in industry as part of a sandwich course. We can offer placements in engineering or commercial work.
Though you will usually be based in just one department, the placement aims to give you a broad understanding of our whole business.
Wherever you are working, you will be part of a team, mentored and supervised while you get to grips with real and meaningful assignments. On top of this, we will provide training, including a four-day development workshop and opportunities to network with colleagues across our business.
The Year in Industry
Backed by the Government, this national scheme is for students who decide to take a year out before or during university. It gives you valuable experience and a recognised qualification.
Generally, the placement starts between June and August and finishes the following summer. During that time, you will be based in a specific area of our business, working on live projects with experienced people who will help you learn and make the most of your time here.
As well as this support, you will benefit from 'The Year in Industry' training, which leads to a qualification in management and personal development, presented by the Chartered Management Institute. This involves lectures and other training activities, as well as practical assignments covering topics such as team dynamics, customer care and developing people and planning work.
At the end of the year, you will receive the Level 3 certificate in Management and have valuable skills to take forward your future career. You will also be in a good position to apply for our Sponsored Student Programme or our Graduate Development Programme.
To get onto this programme, you need to be studying electrical, electronic, mechanical or civil engineering.
Please apply on the 'Year in Industry' website. They will pass your details to us and we'll contact you to fill in our application form. So it's important to highlight your interest in National Grid.
Internship
This 12- to 14-week placement –during the summer of your last but one year at university –is for mechanical, electrical, civil or chemical engineering students who want a career in leadership and management.
Just over three months might sound like a short time, but you'll be surprised at how much learning and development you can pack in (and the benefits and rewards)!
The placement could be anywhere in the UK, so you must be willing to work away from home. Before you start, we will work with you to plan an individual development experience, and provide ongoing feedback and support throughout. All we ask is that you fully commit to the programme, and work hard to deliver outstanding performance. What's in it for you? Plenty.
If you deliver outstanding performance on your project, you are guaranteed a place in an early assessment centre for our Graduate Development Programme, so you could have a job offer before you return to university for your final year.
This is an exceptional opportunity to see inside National Grid and see if we are the company for you, with a real salary.
To be considered, you'll need to be on track to achieving a 2.2 or above in either BEng or MEng in mechanical, electrical and civil engineering.
Power Academy
This is open to anyone studying BEng or MEng in electrical, electrical and electronic, mechatronics or a power systems engineering degree at one of the partner universities. The academy offers sponsorship and an eight-week summer placement.
We specifically want individuals whose good academic results are matched by strong personal and behavioural skills.
The Power Academy is run through the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET). We are a founding partner of the academy and can offer placements to students at the partner universities. These universities are Bath, Cardiff, Imperial College, Manchester, Queen's University (Belfast), Southampton, Strathclyde.
Sponsorship includes a bursary, book and software allowance and contribution toward university fees, while the eight-week placement will help you develop important career skills. Each student will automatically receive an invite to an assessment centre for our Graduate Development Programme in the final year of their studies.
For more information on how to apply to this programme, please visit www.theiet.org/poweracademy/.
Sponsored Student
If you've been on one of our 12-month student placements, you can apply for one of our 'sponsorships'.
This includes bursary payments, a book and software allowance and an eight-week paid summer placement, all of which can be a real help in getting you through the expense of university. What's more, we have structured the summer placements with clear aims, and they are closely monitored by your line manager, helping to continuously develop your career skills.
Best of all, each of our sponsored students automatically receives an invite to an assessment centre for our Graduate Development Programme in the final year of their studies.
University support
We support the ‘High Voltage’ laboratory at Manchester University. This is the largest High Voltage (HV) laboratory of any UK University.