Connectr partnership | National Grid ET

Not only is the £1bn London Power Tunnels project future-proofing London’s energy network, it provides the perfect opportunity to enthuse and engage young Londoners about careers in the industry who live in the seven boroughs in which works are taking place.

Research shows that disadvantaged students are twice as likely to not be in education, employment, or training by the age of 17 than their more affluent peers. Recognising that our work takes place in areas with higher levels of deprivation than much of the country, we are committed to ensuring we can help address this.

We partnered with social enterprise, Connectr, on a STEM and careers’ programme that provides South London secondary pupils from the diverse communities surrounding our sites with practical, hands-on experiences to drive meaningful engagement in the engineering and construction industry.

50,000

students reached through the programme

14,000

reached through workshops and Q&A sessions

6,000

reached through school assembly takeovers

30,000

resource packs distributed

71%

of students from BAME backgrounds

51%

of female participants more likely to pursue a career in sector

Providing opportunities while meeting the net zero challenge

This isn’t just about doing something that benefits local communities – it serves a broader purpose that helps the country. It has been estimated that the energy sector needs to fill 400,000 roles between now and 2050 to meet net zero targets.

As we currently employ 22,000 people, the scale of ambition to train up the next generation is considerable, especially as over 260,000 of the required roles will be entirely new positions. We recognise that it will be impossible to fill these positions if we do not attract a diverse talent pool from all walks of life. Young people in the communities in which we operate could prove vital to driving sustainability on a national level.

What we are doing

Our partnership with Connectr is a unique, pioneering programme which helps to deliver on our commitment – bringing STEM to life and boosting the career prospects of thousands of children in South London. The programme provides a series of in-person workshops, seminars, and Q&A sessions for local students, delivered by volunteers from National Grid and project partners working on LPT.

Launched in 2020, we have made an ambitious commitment to reach 100,000 children by 2025, investing a total of £1.8m to ensure the programme drives maximum impact.

And it’s not just about going to schools to deliver this work. We encourage visits to our sites by students, so they can see first hand the amazing work that’s being completed deep underground as we rewire London. We’ve even hosted several students on work placements, giving them practical and valuable experience – opening the possibility of a future in the industry, helping to deliver net zero.

This has been delivered through a variety of in-person and digital activities, including:

In-person workshops for Years 9, 11 & 12
Virtual Q&A sessions for Years 9-13
Online events across key dates including National Apprenticeship Week and Engineering Week for Years 9-13
Assembly takeovers
Resource packs for educators to deliver classroom workshops
Virtual Work Experience Week for Years 11, 12 & 13
Digital mentoring support

What impact has the project had so far?

You can find out more about the programme so far by reading the London Power Tunnels Project Social Impact Report 2020-23.

The report outlines the outcomes and impact of the LPT school engagement programme during its initial three years of programme delivery and illustrates the social value (both financial and non-financial) delivered by the programme since its inception.

Students

The National Grid work experience was not only insightful but also forward-thinking - it broadened my perspective when thinking about sustainability on a regional and national level

My work experience through the programme was a full of discussions about how society can implement emerging technologies to achieve a greener future. I credit National Grid for enlightening me about large-scale sustainability in my Personal Statement in my application for university.

The enriching Summer Internship I undertook with National Grid opened my eyes to the sustainability and energy sectors. It has made me much more interested in exploring a career in these fields.

The programme enabled me to learn about a wide range of techniques and ideas that could help us revolutionise different sectors, which I found really exciting and interesting. It also helped me to reflect on ways I could improve how I tackle research projects.

Teachers

The sessions were informative, fun, lively and generally very positive. The students were very enthusiastic about the talk and activities.

This was really good; inspiring; great panel of speakers. Today's talk was very insightful for understanding the flexibility of degrees and what career paths are available. It was also insightful for understanding the importance of networking and building relations.