East Sussex men make exciting career changes with UK Power Networks apprenticeship

A barber, zoo worker and a brewer are among the recruits switching on to apprenticeships with Britain’s biggest electricity distribution network.

The East Sussex men managed to secure six out of the 28 available positions – beating out about 900 other applicants.

Over the next two years they will retrain as overhead linespeople working at height, substation fitters and underground cable jointers, becoming experts at keeping power supplies safely and reliably flowing for 8.5 million homes and businesses across London, the South East and East of England.

Dan Hopkins, 32, from Bexhill, has joined the apprenticeship programme as an overhead linesperson, after leaving his previous career as a mechanic. He will be joined by Luke Williams, 26, and Jasper Colbran, 20, working in the company’s Polegate hub.

Luke knows how to work safely and quickly to help get life moving again for local people, having previously worked in the gas sector fixing leaks.

He said: “Because of my experience, I know what it means to bring heating or hot showers back to people and how important it is for people.

“As the demand for electricity increases, and new electric vehicle chargers and networks need to be upgraded, it is going to be exciting to be a part of that journey for our customers.”

Nick Stanton, 20, from Eastbourne, left his career in the broadband industry to work at UK Power Networks’ Southern Cross depot,

while Adam Dean, 19, from Worthing, worked for a precision engineering firm before joining UK Power Networks as an apprentice overhead linesperson in Southwick, Brighton.

George Larter, 27, from Mayfield, will also become an overhead linesperson – he said he applied for the company because it’s a ‘career for life’.

“I love the outdoors and being in nature, so working on overhead power lines is perfect for me,” he said.

“I find the electricity industry fa scinating: I love the problem-solving element of it, and there are real progression opportunities available here to develop my career.”

Foundation apprentices complete the programme in three years, while those with experience from other sectors cover exactly the same course, intensively in just two years.

College courses and practical skills gained at the company’s bespoke training centres are practised under close supervision on-the-job.

Charlie Aston, engineering trainee manager at UK Power Networks, said: “Apprenticeships aren’t just for school leavers and this year we’ve welcomed a total of 54 experienced apprentices. Thisgroup have reached a junction in their life where they want to try something new.”

“Changing career can be unnerving but for many it’s a chance to follow their dream.

“We don’t always know at 16 what we want to do when we’re 30 and we are seeing an enthusiastic pipeline of talent with itchy career feet who have transferrable skills, life experience and are waiting for that opportunity to gain new skills and experience in their chosen career.”

This autumn’s apprentices are the firm’s second cohort of 2023, which totals 54 apprenticeships and a similar number will be recruited next year.