National Grid has announced plans to invest £5m and help 5,000f young people into careers in the energy and infrastructure sector – backing prime minister Andy Burnham’s overhaul of technical education.

The Power Within Employability Fund will support up to 1,000 young people a year from across the UK, targeting those not in education, employment or training (NEET) get into work.

It comes just days after prime minister Andy Burnham announced an overhaul of the school system, giving technical and vocation education equal status – with 14-year-olds to have access to  new technical pathways from September 2028.

National Grid’s programme will start next year and help young people  develop the skills, qualifications and confidence needed to access long-term career opportunities, including across the energy and infrastructure sectors.

Zoë Yujnovich, chief executive of National Grid, said too many young people are “being left behind, unable to access the opportunities, skills and support they need to fulfil their potential”.

“As the UK invests in the infrastructure needed for a more secure, more resilient and cleaner energy future, we will help thousands of young people build confidence, gain qualifications and take meaningful steps towards employment,” she added.

The programme will be delivered through specialist employment and skills partners and include:

• Practical support to access work, including help to gain a driving licence where transport is a barrier to employment
• Industry-recognised qualifications and accreditations, including Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) cards and other qualifications needed to access jobs across the energy, construction and infrastructure sectors
• Employability coaching and mentoring, one-to-one support to build confidence, identify career goals and prepare for the workplace
• Job readiness and life skills training, including CV writing, interview preparation, communication skills and workplace behaviours 
• Direct links to employers and job opportunities across National Grid, its suppliers and the wider energy and infrastructure sector

Last week the prime minister highlighted an interim report from a review by Alan Milburn which warned that Britain is at risk of a “lost generation”, with more than a million 16 to 24-year-olds now not in education, employment or training.

He said the findings painted a “stark picture” of a system that too often leaves young people leaving school without the skills, experience or connections they need to step into the world of work.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has already said England’s clean energy workforce could nearly double from around 440,000 in 2023 to around 860,000 jobs supported across clean energy sectors and their supply chains by 2030.