National Grid launches £5 million fund to help young people into work

National Grid has committed £5 million to support 5,000 young people who are currently outside employment, education or training, creating potential routes into work across energy, construction and infrastructure.

The Power Within Employability Fund is expected to reach up to 1,000 people a year across the UK, beginning during the first half of 2027. National Grid intends to appoint specialist employment and skills organisations to deliver practical training, qualifications, coaching and workplace preparation matched to local needs.

Some of that support will address relatively basic but significant barriers to work. Funding could help participants obtain a driving licence, secure a CSCS card, prepare for interviews or develop the communication and workplace skills expected by employers. The programme also promises direct links to vacancies within National Grid, its suppliers and the wider infrastructure sector.

Building the clean energy workforce

The announcement follows education reforms unveiled by Prime Minister Andy Burnham last week, which aim to place technical and academic education on an equal footing and encourage schools to expand vocational routes into employment.

It comes at an important time for the electrical industry, which has warned of shortages across a range of skilled roles. In fact, the shortages have persisted for so long now, that some within the industry have warned that the UK’s net zero targets could be at jeopardy unless something is done sooner rather than later. 

National Grid alone expects to invest around £31 billion in UK electricity transmission and strategic infrastructure and approximately £9 billion in distribution during the five years to March 2031. It won’t be able to realise that investment without skilled professionals in place, however. 

That’s why Burnham believes that tackling the skills shortage should be done in the most pragmatic way – by attracting young people who may not have considered a career in the industries that desperately need them. That category includes a sizable pool of young people – with the Office for National Statistics estimating that 1.013 million people aged 16 to 24 were not in education, employment or training during January to March 2026, equivalent to 13.5% of the age group. 

So far, the industry’s reaction to Burnham’s skills plan has been positive. The Electrical Contractors Association noted that it had the ‘potential to spark a new generation of electricians’, while Andy Reakes, acting CEO of the Joint Industry Board, called it ‘genuinely encouraging’. For it to have an impact, however, it will need industry buy-in from firms like National Grid. 

Of course, National Grid’s new fund will not solve the wider skills shortage on its own, but it could help create a clearer route into the sector for young people who may otherwise struggle to access training or employment. 

Zoë Yujnovich, Chief Executive, National Grid, commented, “I agree with the Prime Minister that too many young people are being left behind, unable to access the opportunities, skills and support they need to fulfil their potential. That’s why National Grid is launching a new £5 million fund to help around 5,000 young people not in education or work, to develop the skills, qualifications and confidence needed to build long-term careers.

“As the UK invests in the infrastructure needed for a more secure, more resilient and cleaner energy future, we will help thousands of young people build confidence, gain qualifications and take meaningful steps towards employment. By working with expert delivery partners, colleges and employers, we can shape pathways into rewarding careers while helping to strengthen the communities we serve.”

The challenge now will be ensuring that the funding results in long-term employment rather than short-term training alone. Direct links to National Grid and its supplier network should help, but much will depend on the delivery partners, the availability of suitable roles and whether support reaches the young people who face the greatest barriers to entering the workforce.