Ali Shad - Power Academy Student, Construction
I was attracted to National Grid for several reasons, it's a unique business, because it's a monopoly but it's highly regulated so it's not like a number of other power companies within the sector which work on distribution and just work on the profits and they're working against each other. But National Grid is a monopoly so highly regulated, so rather than solely focusing on profits it focuses more on the environment, people and the community around it so it offers different prospects.
To work at National Grid you've got to be open, friendly and adjustable because the people here don't tend to just sit at their desks and work there for 30 years doing the same sort of thing, everyone moves around and gets to see different aspects of the company. Within the power academy hopefully you'll get at least two or three years on the scheme and what tends to happen is you get moved around different locations within the company so you get a good overview on what different areas of the company are like.
One of the things I love about my placement this year is the site visits. Last year I was more in the office because I was doing a more office-based job but I still got to go out a bit, but this year I'm shadowing people and get to go on site all the time, see everything, it's brilliant. Tomorrow I'm going to a transformer factory to see how a transformer gets wound up, and next week I'm going to Spennymoor to see a brand new overhead line construction so it's great, I get out of the office loads of time each week, it's brilliant.
You can just go up to anybody and ask them whatever you want and they'll give you an answer - it doesn't matter who they are, they will help you out. National Grid is very inclusive, and it's great so you're not going to feel left out or on your own, everyone will make attempts to help you feel part of the team.