Power System Engineer Review

I am a Power System Engineer. This involves using simulation software of the England and Wales electricity transmission network in order to look at the effects of connecting new generation or demand to the network. This involves completing studies of various natures, including thermal and voltage compliance studies.

As part of the scheme we completed a Foundation Degree with Aston University in Electrical Power Engineering. This was alongside training courses delivered by both the company and external people on life skills, for example business writing, presenting and career development opportunities. Internal courses were things such as teaching us about the company assets and what the purpose of these are.

I very much enjoyed the programme, it was interesting, helped me to develop myself and gave some fantastic opportunities. The company was very flexible with my work and helping me to achieve what I wanted to get out of it, and the team which I am now in were all very supportive of the scheme. Some working hours were long, especially around exam time, however this was all dependent on how you wanted to perform in exam conditions.

My manager was very supportive and offered help and guidance whenever I had any questions. Internal recognition was also very good, as when I did something I was proud of I was often praised. I was awarded trainee of the year which was a fantastic achievement and really supported my grounding for the rest of my career. I think I was valued.

The programme is very well structured. Over the first 3 weeks there was the initial induction with man different courses to allow us to understand what the company does. Then there is the 2 week on job, 2 week at uni timescales too which are great to help support the studies and ensure a good result overall. The programme was organized by the dedicated training academy who were there to help with any queries.

They were very good with support, there was always someone who could be contacted with any problems if required, and if they did not know the answer they were happy to point in the right direction about this. The team were also happy to help, providing small pieces of work which helped me get into the role in manageable stages.

They were very good with support, there was always someone who could be contacted with any problems if required, and if they did not know the answer they were happy to point in the right direction about this. The team were also happy to help, providing small pieces of work which helped me get into the role in manageable stages.

The package was good. It combines a competitive salary with expenses when living away from home. As the role required myself to travel over the country, I was allocated a company car which was fantastic. The living expenses were also good to help with the fact that we were away, studying or doing our role and the company was good with helping this.

There are multiple events available which are circulated through newsletters and posters. Unfortunately due to outside of work commitments I have not actually been to any events however have heard that they are well regarded.

Yes

I believe they are a fantastic employer, offering opportunities for growth and development, as well as providing a good place to work and an enjoyable job. They are looking after their staff and ensuring there are good opportunities available. They are leading the industry and the nature of this helps National Grid to be an innovative company.

Although the process can, at some times, appear long and extensive, it's most definitely worth it. There are many stages of the process to ensure the correct candidates are selected and this involves a lot of testing. The assessment center is interesting however it can seem like a long day, the assessors only want you to pass, don't let it overwhelm you.