Electrical Power Network Engineer - Higher Apprenticeship

Base Location: Reading and Portsmouth

Salary: Circa £24,580 per annum + a range of other benefits to support your family, finances, and wellbeing. Salary upon finishing the programme is circa £37k per annum.

Working Pattern: Full Time | 3 year programme 

Start Date: August/September 2026

Kick‑start your career in electrical engineering and help shape the UK’s energy future.

Are you ready to build a career that powers homes, businesses and communities? Our three‑year Electrical Power Networks Engineer Apprenticeship blends academic study with hands‑on experience, giving you the skills and confidence to thrive in a fast‑growing sector. You’ll gain an industry‑recognised Level 4 qualification, contribute to the UK’s Net Zero transition and receive support from mentors and experienced colleagues throughout. If you enjoy solving problems and making a real impact, this could be the perfect path for you.

What to Expect

• Study Toward a Recognised Qualification - you’ll work towards a Level 4 Electrical Power Networks Engineer qualification, building strong technical knowledge and industry‑specific skills.
• Hands-On Learning - outside of college, you’ll work alongside experienced SSE engineers within our Distribution business. You’ll gain exposure to fieldwork, as well as specialist teams such as Design, Planning, and Protection—all key to operating a safe and resilient electricity network.
• Growing Responsibility - as you progress into your third year, you’ll take on more complex technical tasks, such as carrying out safety‑critical assessments, supporting or designing protection schemes, and coordinating work with craftspeople or contractors
• Your Future Career - once qualified, you’ll be ready to step into roles such as Protection Engineer, Designer, or Field Engineer, with a competitive salary of circa £37k.

What We’re Looking For

This programme is a great fit for people who enjoy practical tasks, want to learn how power networks work, and are keen to develop their engineering skills. You should be:

• Comfortable getting involved in hands‑on work, learning new technical tasks as you go.
• Organised and dependable, especially when balancing study with practical work.
• Happy working in a variety of environments, including outdoors and at different sites.
• Able to travel and stay away from home at times for training and college sessions.
• Safety‑minded, understanding the importance of following instructions and procedures.
• Working towards your driving licence—not essential at the start, but you’ll need a full UK licence by the end of the programme
• Qualifications - you'll need to have five GCSEs at grade C/4 or above, including English, Maths and Science. You’ll also need a further qualification - either a Level 3 qualification in Engineering or A Levels in Maths and Physics.