- National Grid to expand the EmployAbility – Lets Work Together programme after intern success
- Calls to other companies to widen the scheme throughout the region
Four young people with learning needs and disabilities have been offered permanent jobs after completing a pioneering National Grid scheme.
The EmployAbility - Let’s Work Together programme, which was launched last year, is specially designed to help such students to find employment.
Two pupils from the Dorothy Goodman Academy in Hinckley – Beth Asher and Matthew A’Hearne-Kehoe – and Megan Moran, Harry Potten and Mac Wright from the Oak Wood Secondary School in Nuneaton, successfully completed their internships.
Matthew, Megan, Mac and Harry will be staying on at National Grid Hinckley in permanent roles. Beth has chosen to pursue her passion for performing arts and is looking to enroll on a college course.
David Tilley, National Grid’s Control Centre Manager, said: “We are absolutely delighted to welcome these youngsters into our team. They have shown great maturity and perseverance during their time with us, and have secured jobs through hard work, merit and skills. They have been inspirational and demonstrated some special talents.”
And Jane Thompson, head teacher at Dorothy Goodman added: “We are incredibly proud of our pupils’ achievements. They were given a fantastic opportunity by National Grid and all of them grasped it with both hands and worked hard and well. They thoroughly deserve this life-changing chance.”
Following a successful first year National Grid is expanding its EmployAbility programme from September with 20 students being offered internships in four of its locations across the country.
But, National Grid is aware that there is a limit to how many opportunities it can offer and that many more life changing openings can be created by working with other companies that may want to adopt the model. More companies are needed in Leicestershire and the East Midlands to join EmployAbility and build on its achievements.
National Grid is one of a few UK companies with a specially designed strategy to help students with learning disabilities.
In partnership with local special needs schools, the company has created a simple model for EmployAbility; a number of roles are identified that interns can fill. The interns then spend a full academic year performing two or three roles each, supported by full time job coaches from the schools. People on the company’s graduate scheme take lead roles in organising and supporting the interns and in turn develop their own skills and disability awareness.
The Department of Education says that a student with learning disabilities has only a seven-per-cent chance of finding paid work. The cost to the community of supporting someone who doesn’t get into employment through their life is £1 million per person.
For more information on the scheme go to: http://employabilityletsworktogether.com/
Notes to editors - archive
National Grid is one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the world and was named Responsible Business of the Year 2014 by Business in the Community. This accolade acknowledges all of our efforts in getting involve with the things that really matter to us and to society. We own and manage the grids that connect people to the energy they need, from whatever the source. In Britain and the north-eastern states of the US we run systems that deliver gas and electricity to millions of people, businesses and communities.
In Britain, we run the gas and electricity systems that our society is built on, delivering gas and electricity across the country. In the North Eastern US, we connect more than seven million gas and electric customers to vital energy sources, essential for our modern lifestyles.
National Grid in the UK:
- We own the high-voltage electricity transmission network in England and Wales, operating it across Great Britain
- We own and operate the high pressure gas transmission system in Britain
- Our gas distribution business delivers gas to 10.9 million homes and businesses
- We also own a number of related businesses including LNG importation, land remediation and metering
- National Grid manages the National Gas Emergency Service free phone line on behalf of the industry - 0800 111 999 (all calls are recorded and may be monitored).
- Our portfolio of other businesses is mainly concerned with infrastructure provision and related services where we can exploit our core skills and assets to create value. These businesses operate in areas such as Metering, Grain LNG Import, Interconnectors and Property. National Grid Carbon Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of National Grid. It undertakes Carbon Capture Storage related activities on behalf of National Grid.
Find out more about the energy challenge and how National Grid is helping find solutions to some of the challenges we face at www.nationalgridconnecting.com
National Grid undertakes no obligation to update any of the information contained in this release, which speaks only as at the date of this release, unless required by law or regulation.