Career advice? please help!

glynmorgan090 · Jan 12, 2013

Hello all, I am currently an A level student but next year I'm looking to get into the power industry. I was looking at either going to National Grid on their trainee engineer programme or a similar scheme with my local distribution company (SSE). I was wondering if anyone had any experience of working for either of them and what sort of things I'll be doing?

I'm not the sort to spend all day in an office planning work, I like to be hands on and I'm leaning towards National Gird as I've been told that the engineers at SSE tend to be more office based and deal primarily with customers and faults (which I'm not so keen on!) Can anyone confirm this? I know the National Grid engineers are based at a particular substation but do they actually 'get their hands dirty' or just plan work for fitters? what's their office/subtation balance?

The other thing is I'm quite interested in working offshore on rigs (as my dad used to do this) after getting some experience first, in which case do you think I'd be better getting experience with a distribution rather than transmission company, as they deal with 11kv and 33kv? or could I use the higher voltage (132, 275kv) experience offshore too? My final question! is if I went into transmission and got a 132kv or higher senior authorised person certificate, how easy/hard would be to work for a distribution company or offshore if I wanted to in the future? does a 132kv sap mean you can work on lower voltage equipment?

Any help much appreciated, cheers!

Johnuk · Jan 12, 2013

i would just go to a college/uni and see which course leads to the right path for you, they change the courses all the time its hard to help out

babylonsBurning · Jan 12, 2013

Hi Glyn
Whatever you choose try and ensure that you get a good engineering qualification along the way, and dont rely on experience.
A good choice to start with will be an ONC/OND in electrical engineering and then the HNC or what the modern equivalent is!
These are available on day release so check what the trainee engineering programs offer.

Knobhead · Jan 12, 2013

If you get to 132KV SAP you won’t be bothered about off shore, you will be earning enough without getting you’re feet wet. To get to that stage will take many years.
Who have you spoken to in the power companies?

Dcf · Jan 12, 2013

My lad started a job as trainee engineer with sse about 4 month ago. He really enjoys it.
sse put you through a foundation degree that costs you nothing what's not to like!
you will need higher Maths and english as a minimum I think.
He is getting put on the transmission which is where all the projects are just now to be honest.my mate runs projects for Balfour Beatty doing transmission lines and has
loads on. He told me if you get trained and get your authorisation you will get a job anywhere in the work with the multinationals.offshore is another door that could open with that kind of experience but a s tony says you will b on decent enough cash without bobbing around the Shetlands.be aware that sse had 6000+ applicants for about 140 places nationwide for the trainee/apprentice places.good luck.

Brightspark2 · Jan 12, 2013

You may not have an option between national grid or SSE. Apply for both and see where you get...

glynmorgan090 · Jan 14, 2013

Thanks for the advice. Would you say there's generally more demand for SAPs with 11kv/33kv than 132kv and above? What about salaries, do they differ much?