Experienced Apprentice Programme 2026 (Career Changers)

81482 - 2026 Experienced Apprentice Programme (Career Changers)

This 2026 Experienced Apprentice Programme will report to the Engineering Trainees Team Leader and will work based in our Bidder Street or Falconwood office. You will be a permanent employee.

You will attract a salary of £37,226.00 and a bonus of 3%

If you are successful, you will need to undertake a medical and DBS reference check

Application Close Date: Saturday the 31st of January 2026

Your course will start in September 2026

If you have any further questions about the Apprenticeship please contact us at Apprenticeships@ukpowernetworks.co.uk

We also provide the following additional benefits

• 25 days Annual Leave plus bank holidays
• Reservist Leave – Additional 18 days full pay and 22 unpaid
• Personal Pension Plan – Personal contribution rates of 4% or 5% (UK Power Networks will make a corresponding contribution of 8% or 10%)
• Tenancy Loan Deposit Scheme, Season Ticket Loan
• Tax efficient benefits: Cycle to Work, Home & Tech, and Green Car Leasing Schemes
• Occupational Health support
• Switched On – scheme providing discount on hundreds of retailers' products
• Discounted gym membership
• Employee Assistance Programme

UK Power Networks

UK Power Networks operates and maintains three electricity distribution networks. Delivering power to 19 million people across London, the South East and East of England, keeping the lights on for 28% of the UK population.

Alongside the three Ofgem regulated electricity networks, UK Power Networks have an un-regulated arm of the business. UK Power Networks Services which builds, manage and maintains high-voltage private electrical networks for owners of major infrastructure. Clients include London's five main airports, High Speed 1, Network Rail and London Underground.

UK Power Networks is a registered Employer-Provider with the ESFA (Education Skills Funding Agency), and our apprenticeships are part funded by the Apprenticeship Levy. UK Power Networks gained an overall grade of Good from OfSTED, with two areas of Outstanding.

Our priorities are to handle the climate crisis by connecting renewable energy, meet our customers evolving needs by improving our services, support our customers in vulnerable circumstances and go above and beyond for the communities we serve.

The Experienced Apprenticeship Programme

UK Power Networks has over 145,000km of underground cables, over 190,000km of overhead lines and our assets help distribute 30% of the UK's electricity. It takes hundreds of trained craftspeople and engineers to build, maintain and operate all of this electrical infrastructure and equipment.

Our Experienced Apprenticeship is a two-year training programme which is accredited by the IET and endorsed by EU Skills, offering a unique opportunity equip individuals with the skills to become a trained and qualified "craft" person to work safely in the electrical distribution industry. You will be offered one of three craft roles:

Cable Jointer - plays a crucial role in maintaining and upgrading the electricity distribution network. They install, connect, and repair underground cables, ensuring a reliable power supply to homes and businesses. This hands-on role involves working with low and high voltage cables and equipment, following strict safety standards and procedures and troubleshooting any issues to minimise disruptions making it an important role for keeping UK Power Networks electricity network running smoothly.

Overhead Linesperson install, maintain, and repair overhead power lines that deliver electricity to homes and businesses. You will work at heights to construct and maintain overhead lines and poles, ensuring the safe and reliable distribution of electricity. Overhead Linespeople inspect and troubleshoot issues, conduct repairs in all weather conditions, and respond to power outages to restore electricity quickly. With a focus on safety and teamwork, you will help maintain and upgrade the electricity network

Electrical Fitter installs, maintains, and repairs electrical equipment and systems within substations. You will work with high-voltage apparatus such as transformers, circuit breakers, and switchgear, ensuring the safe and reliable distribution of electricity. Electrical Fitters troubleshoot faults and perform routine inspections and maintenance to ensure that all equipment is operating safely and is a necessary role in keeping the electrical network running.

Principal Accountabilities:

• Apprentices are allocated a single specific craft based on the business need and location available to you.
• All apprentices are expected to learn all aspects of their allocated craft and apply the skills and behaviours throughout the Apprenticeship Programme competently, safely and following the apprenticeship standards.
• Apprentices will follow the Level 3 Power Industry Craftsperson Apprenticeship Standards. Depending on the role offered one of the following apprenticeship standards will be followed:
• Power industry substation fitter / Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education
• Power industry overhead linesperson / Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education
• Power industry distribution cable jointer / Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education
• The apprenticeship includes a City and Guilds Level 2 in Electrical Power Engineering - Distribution and Transmission (Technical Knowledge) (2304-17) and this will be undertaken at our external provider college in Basingstoke.
• Apprentices are expected to undertake responsibilities following their craft, safety procedures and follow UK Power Networks safe working policies.
• Training activities are delivered at our regional training centres and training provider sites. This will require apprentices to spend time away home, if you are required to stay away from home for a period of training accommodation and meal allowance will be provided
• Training will consist of internal/ external training courses, on site placements and academic training placements through college across the 2 year period

Qualifications Required:

• This is an apprenticeship where you will be taught all the necessary skills to perform each craft safely and competently. During the apprenticeship individuals will always work supervised and as part of a team.
• We ask that you have a minimum of GCSE grade 3 (D) or equivalent in English and maths, or Functional Skills Level 1 or 2, if you are invited to the assessment day you will need to provide hard copies of these qualifications as part of the assessment process.
• You will have either gained a Level 2 or higher qualification within Further education i.e. college or university, or have gained more than 3 years full-time work experience in a craft-based or hands-on role, where a high level of manual dexterity is an important part of the role, (this could include) electrician, carpenter, builder, mechanical fitter, welder, vehicle mechanic or telecommunications / gas/ water (utility) technician.
• As mentioned above we ask that you have a high degree of manual dexterity demonstrated through the use of hand tools and will undertake a range of practical assessments in consideration of your designated craft, should your application be successful. Some roles such as overhead linesperson require applicants to work safely at height
• You must like working outdoors in all weather conditions.
• You must always prioritise safe working practices and demonstrate an understanding of what it means to deliver great customer service.
• You must be in possession of a full UK driving licence to be considered for the role as travel to different locations across the UK Power Networks footprint is a requirement during the apprenticeship.

Application Process

Stage 1: Online Application & CV

Start your journey by submitting your online application and CV — no cover letter needed! We're excited to learn more about you and what makes you a great fit for our team.

Stage 2: Online Task-Based Assessment

Next, you will take part in an interactive online assessment featuring a range of engaging, game-like tasks.

These activities are designed to explore your psychological traits and behavioural preferences, helping us understand how you might thrive in our workplace.

If you shine here and meet the qualifications and requirements you will move forward to Stage 3!

Stage 3: Audio Interview

In this stage, you will record your responses to a short series of questions — think of it as a chance to let your personality come through.

It's not a formal interview, just an opportunity for us to hear from you directly and help decide if you will progress to the next exciting step!

Stage 4: Assessment Centre

You will be invited to an in-person Assessment Centre.

Here, you will take part in a mix of activities — including a group exercise, an individual exercise, and a hand skills task.

It's a great chance to meet our team, experience our culture, and show off your strengths in action.

Invitations will be sent out in Early March 2026, with full details provided closer to the date.

Stage 5: Final Interview

Candidates who score well at the Assessment Centre will be invited to a virtual interview — your opportunity to make a lasting impression and tell us why you're the perfect fit.

Stage 6: Offers

Congratulations. You have passed! 🎉

You will receive an offer, subject to:

• Pass a drugs and alcohol screening
• Complete a fit-for-work assessment
• Provide evidence of the right to work in the UK

Please note that these roles have both physical conditions of the workplace and physical demands of the job. These conditions include physical strain i.e. heavy lifting, working at height, or working in confined spaces. An apprentice, and qualified craftsperson can expect outdoor settings, in all weather conditions, including temperature extremes, during day and night shifts. Work is often performed in emergency and some pressured situations.

Employees need to be aware that for some craft and operational roles that work at height, or use fall arrest devices, there is an upper weight limit of 116Kg due to maximum safe working load of the safety equipment that is used.

Nature and Scope:

The Apprentice programme is 2 years in duration (indicative timescale) working towards achievement of a Level 3 Power Industry Craft Person Apprenticeship whilst gaining skills and behaviours developing experience in their designated craft.

Apprentices will be provided overnight accommodation while studying at UK Power Networks four Training Centres or with our Training Providers. Some courses are of extended duration this may require applicants to stay in accommodation for the course's duration depending on location

You will use your personal vehicle/ public transport to travel between different training locations. If an apprentice has a personal vehicle with added business insurance this will allow all travel expenses/ mileage to be claimed to and from each training location.

We will assess your competence and apply your knowledge, skills and behaviours throughout the duration of the Apprenticeship Programme and all apprentices must meet their milestones.

Your completion of the apprenticeship will be confirmed through an End Point Assessment which will assess Skills, Knowledge and Behaviours following the End Point Assessment Organisation (EUIAS – Energy & Utilities Independent Assessment Service). Apprentices will also have gained certificates of competency specific to their craft before being deemed a qualified craft person.

Training may take place at practical training centres and educational facilities across the UK. Additionally, during your time in this role there is the expectation that you may travel out of region. This may involve overnight stays of days at a time, or weeks at a time (returning home during weekends).

Health & Safety Responsibilities

Managers and supervisors carry both legal and company responsibilities for ensuring the health and safety of their employees, those under their control and those who might be affected by the work undertaken, i.e. public, visitors and employees of other organisations. This includes briefing individuals working for them and ensuring there is the necessary understanding, competence and application of requirements to work safely and without harming the environment.

Employees will ensure they understand the health and safety risks involved in their work activities and their responsibility to apply the controls needed to manage those risks to acceptable levels. Similarly where work activities can have an adverse impact upon the environment, and where there are legal requirements, employees will understand those impacts and the controls they must ensure are applied.

If in doubt ask!

You are asked to be aware that data held by UK Power Networks will be stored, processed and monitored by authorised personnel. The information you supply will be used by the Skills Funding Agency, an executive agency of the Department for Education (DfE), to issue you with a Unique Learner Number (ULN), and to create your Personal Learning Record. For more information about how your information is processed and shared refer to the Extended Privacy Notice available on Gov.UK. It will not be disclosed to any other third-party unlawfully following the Data Protection Act 1998.

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, colour, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, or veteran status. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.