National Grid has announced a major new £5 million commitment to help 5,000 young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEET) access long-term career opportunities over the next five years, becoming one of the first major employers to back the Prime Minister’s drive to get more young people into work.
The new Power Within Employability Fund will support up to 1,000 young people annually across the UK from the first half of next year. The programme is designed to help participants build the skills, qualifications and confidence needed to secure sustainable employment, including opportunities within the energy, infrastructure and construction sectors.
The announcement follows the Prime Minister’s recent plans to place technical education on an equal footing with academic study, addressing long-standing perceptions that vocational routes are less valuable than traditional academic pathways.
The Government’s reforms aim to strengthen routes into skilled employment and ensure young people can access opportunities in sectors that are expected to drive future economic growth, including clean energy, advanced manufacturing, engineering, construction and infrastructure.
Under the new approach, employers, schools, colleges and local leaders will work more closely together to align training with local labour market needs. Rather than being designed centrally, technical education pathways will be shaped around the industries creating jobs within local communities.
National Grid’s investment is one of the first significant employer-led commitments to support the initiative, helping tackle skills shortages while opening doors for thousands of young people across the country.
The fund forms part of National Grid’s broader commitment to supporting communities while developing the skilled workforce needed to deliver the UK’s future energy and infrastructure projects.
The programme comes at a time when demand for skilled workers in the clean energy sector continues to rise.
Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh said:
“Demand for skilled workers in clean energy is growing thanks to our drive for clean power, which has attracted over £100 billion in private investment.
“Young people up and down the country will benefit from 400,000 extra clean energy jobs by the end of the decade, and we’re working closely with companies like National Grid to make sure people are trained up and taking advantage of these opportunities.”
The Power Within Employability Fund will be delivered through specialist employment and skills partners, ensuring support is tailored to local needs and connected to real job opportunities.
Participants will be able to access:
- Practical support to overcome employment barriers, including help obtaining a driving licence where transport limits access to work.
- Industry-recognised qualifications and accreditations, including CSCS cards and other certifications required within the energy, construction and infrastructure sectors.
- One-to-one employability coaching and mentoring to build confidence and support career planning.
- Job-readiness training covering CV writing, interview preparation, workplace behaviours and communication skills.
- Direct links to employers across National Grid, its supply chain and the wider energy sector.
- Access to genuine employment opportunities with National Grid and its supplier network.
The initiative highlights the growing role employers can play in creating pathways into work for young people. Government ministers have repeatedly stressed that closer collaboration between business, education providers and local leaders is essential if more young people are to access skilled jobs in their communities.
As industries expand across the UK, including advanced manufacturing in the North West, clean energy projects along the east coast, life sciences in the Midlands and creative industries in major cities, the Government believes strengthened vocational and technical routes will help ensure employers can access the skilled workforce they need.
National Grid’s new fund is expected to play a significant role in helping young people build careers in sectors that are critical to the UK’s future economic growth while supporting the delivery of vital infrastructure projects nationwide.
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