Eligibility note: National Grid’s early-careers programmes are only open to people who already have the right to work in the UK or the US. UK graduate schemes and apprenticeships need an existing, valid right to work in the UK. The US Graduate Development Program and Summer 2027 internships need US work authorisation without visa sponsorship, now or in the future, and that includes CPT and OPT for interns. Applicants living in Africa can’t apply. If you’re looking for engineering and energy-sector roles open to Africans, see the related opportunities at the end.
National Grid, the company that runs much of the electricity and gas network in Great Britain and the north-east United States, is recruiting for its 2027 early-careers programmes: graduate schemes and apprenticeships in the UK, and a Graduate Development Program and Summer 2027 internships in the US. The roles are listed on National Grid’s official jobs portal.
Deadline: rolling. National Grid says it recruits on a rolling basis and may close vacancies early once it has enough applications, so apply as early as possible.
At a Glance
| Employer | National Grid |
| Programmes | UK graduate schemes and apprenticeships; US Graduate Development Program and Summer 2027 internships |
| Locations | Across England, Wales and Scotland; Massachusetts and New York in the US |
| Who can apply | Only people with existing UK work rights (UK roles) or US work authorisation without sponsorship (US roles) |
| Deadline | Rolling. Vacancies may close early. |
The Programmes
UK graduate schemes
- Roles in engineering, IT, cyber security, data and network operations, for example Graduate Network Resilience Engineer (Warwick), Graduate Innovation Engineer and Graduate System and Cyber.
- An 18-month programme with three 6-month placements across the UK.
- A minimum 2:2 in a STEM degree for engineering roles. You can apply while still studying.
UK apprenticeships
- Advanced, higher and degree apprenticeships, for example Electrical Technician (HVDC Interconnector), Health and Safety, Data and Digital, Land Surveyor and HVDC Engineer.
- Entry requirements vary. For example, the Health and Safety Advanced Apprenticeship asks for five GCSEs at grade 4/C or above, including English and Maths. Some roles need a UK driving licence by a set date.
US Graduate Development Program
- Associate analyst, engineer and project manager roles in Massachusetts and New York.
- For people who graduated between May 2026 and June 2027 with a bachelor’s or master’s degree, starting on 7 June or 12 July 2027.
US Summer 2027 internships
- Paid internships in engineering, planning, operations and analytics, starting 24 May 2027. Interns must be full-time students who will still be studying in Fall 2027.
Benefits
- UK graduates: a starting salary of £38,472 with annual rises, a £2,000 joining bonus, £2,400 on completion and up to £200 a month for accommodation during placements (Network Resilience Engineer advert).
- UK apprentices: for example a starting salary of £25,946 with annual rises for the Health and Safety Advanced Apprenticeship, plus a nationally recognised Level 3 qualification.
- US Graduate Development Program: for example US$75,000–89,000 a year (Northborough, Massachusetts).
- US interns: US$25–36 an hour, full-time.
- Structured training, mentoring and real project work at a major energy company.
Eligibility
- UK roles: an existing, valid right to work in the UK, which must be evidenced and verified before you start. National Grid doesn’t offer visa sponsorship for these programmes.
- US roles: work authorisation that doesn’t now or in the future require visa sponsorship (including H-1B, OPT and CPT). National Grid states it won’t provide visa sponsorship.
- The qualifications for each role are listed in its advert. For example, UK engineering graduates need at least a 2:2 in a STEM subject.
- In the UK, you can only apply for one early-careers opportunity per recruitment cycle, so choose carefully.
How to Apply
- Go to National Grid’s official jobs portal (link below) and search for “graduate”, “apprentice” or “2027”.
- Read the full advert for your chosen role, including location, requirements and any driving-licence rule.
- Apply online. National Grid reviews applications as they arrive and may close a vacancy early.
National Grid official jobs portal: 2027 early-careers roles
Note: National Grid’s US adverts say it may use an AI-assisted assessment to score applications.
