Substation craftsperson Review

As an apprentice crafts person my daily tasks may change depending on the type of work I will be carrying out, during some work I may be required to work with another fitter shadowing them so that I can gain the experience in carrying out that job in the future. During other work I am required to take a more hands on approach which could include filling in work specifications and carrying out maintenance on pieces of equipment including transformers, circuit breakers, batteries among other items. During the week I work as part of a team of fitters which is then split into further sub teams depending on the work that is available at the time. Overall I feel I am given a suitable amount of work on a daily basis and I have a good working relationship with my colleagues

Before i joined National Grid I had taken my A-Levels and worked in other roles however I had never worked in an on-site environment so this was all brand new to me. Over the course of the apprenticeship I have gained a city and guilds qualification and learnt to operate MEWPS, overhead cranes, a multitude of power tools and how to carry out maintenances on a variety of electrical and mechanical pieces of equipment.

I have found the programme to be a completely new experience in a field that I had never worked in before. I have found the work itself to be an exciting new challenge which although at times I have found challenging I have enjoyed it, I have also enjoyed becoming part of a team of fitters who have made me feel welcome and helped with with any problems I have had over the years. Although it was hard having to stay away from home for long periods of time overall the apprenticeship has been a really enjoyable experience.

Throughout the apprenticeship I have received constant feedback from both the eakring training centre via ten weekly reviews, off job progress reports and from the trainers whilst working with them; I have also received feedback on a consistent basis from my mentor and other fitters on site via on job progress reports and from my line manager/SSE in the form of yearly and interim reviews. In terms of external recognition I have represented the company at a couple of events and been asked to represent the company during official visits on a few occasions. Overall i have felt valued by the company and my colleagues around me.

I feel that the apprenticeship has been as organised as it could have been over the three years I have been here, although there have been a few moments where courses may not have gone as planned there has always been a good reason as to why this may have occurred and the problem is quickly rectified. The training centre has managed to plan not only our courses but also our accommodation and food throughout the three years and when on site I have always had help finding jobs in order to complete my portfolio.

I have had regular support from the training centre in the form of ten weekly reviews in which my progress was monitored and targets were set, it also gave me the opportunity to ask any questions or bring up any issues I may have been having. The training team were also always available to speak to about any problems I may have had with the course.

During the course we have been provided with an on-site mentor who was there to help us with any questions we may have about the course or any issues we were having with the work, these mentors also attended regular meetings to provide them with the tools to carry out this role effectively. My line manager and SSE have always been approachable to talk to about any issues I was having with the work or any other problems I may have been having.

The salary that I have earned throughout the apprenticeship has always been extremely competitive with the industry and is always towards the higher end of what apprentices are paid in general. All living costs and travel costs have been paid for throughout the apprenticeship when being required to work away whether than be at a hotel or at the training centre, daily costs are also paid for up to £5 for lunch when working away from my base site. Due to my location within central London I am also afforded a monthly London weighting allowance.

During my time within the apprenticeship there have been a number of company events which I could have attended and on a few occasions I have represented the company at these events including an apprenticeship fair and the meeting of multiple MP's during official visits. The company also offers to match any donations to charitable causes made during fundraisers. The company also organises a lot of events via the newnet emails which all new starters are sent these range from site visits to meet and greets with higher ups in the company.

Yes

Because I feel it is a good company to work for as the work is both challenging and rewarding. I also feel like there is a good work environment both on site and at the training centre as people want you to succeed in the role and will offer you all the support that they can. The salary is also extremely competitive and there is a lot of room to progress in the role once you come out of your time as an apprentice

During the application process you will have to be patient as it can take a little bit of time to hear back from them during each stage. It is important that before you start each stage you are 100% ready with what you are going to say and the examples you are going to use for any of the questions you have been asked to be prepared for. During the final interview you are required to spend a night at the training centre and also meet your line manager/SSE for the first time, make sure you spend this time creating a good impression of yourself and getting to know them. Before attending the assessment day it is a good idea to research who National Grid are and what the company does and this benefit you during the process.