Former Para recruit drops in for a new career

30 July 2010

A former soldier from North London is embarking on a new career after winning one of 12 places on an EDF Energy Networks apprenticeship scheme.

Jon Holman, 24, was one of about 500 people who applied for the two-year scheme to become one of a skilled team which maintains and repairs the underground cables distributing electricity to customers in the South East.

Three other people from North London also gained places on the scheme including Robert Thomas, 23, of Bedfont,  Middlesex, Mark Battern, 21 of Rainham and 18-year-old Daniel Turner of Potters Bar.

Jon’s new career as an electrical fitter will be something of a family affair, as his dad Alan has worked for the company for 40 years, also as a fitter.

Jon, from Fielders Close, Enfield, had previously been working as a fitter’s mate for one of EDF Energy Networks’ contractors.

He said: “I liked the job but did not want to be a fitter’s mate all my life. I wanted to become a fitter and have a good career. I’ve seen how my dad has done really well working for the company and had a good life, and I wanted that too.”

Jon was in the middle of training with the Parachute Regiment when he had to leave due to a knee injury.  Since then he has had several jobs including building loft conversions before he decided to aim for a career with EDF Energy Networks.

He has been training at Sundridge in Kent for about a month and when he is qualified he will be based at the company’s Frampton Street office in North West London.

Jon added: “The course is really good so far and it’s getting more interesting as it goes along.”

EDF Energy Networks managing director Laurent Ferrari said: “We are committed to maintaining a reliable supply of electricity for our customers by ensuring the people who manage our networks meet the very highest standards.

“The quality of the service we provide for our customers in the future depends on us having the right people with the right skills. Our apprenticeship scheme is enormously popular and is helping us attract and train new employees to what is an exciting industry to work in. This apprenticeship scheme is important for us because a number of people will retire in the coming years – we want to prepare for the future!”

The apprenticeship scheme restarted in 1996 to address a shortage in the number of electrical craftsmen joining the industry. Since then hundreds of apprentices have been through a structured programme of training and many of them are now fully-fledged

members of the workforce, keeping the power network in good working order.

The apprenticeship scheme includes a mixture of formal training, together with on-the-job experience in the field, to put their skills into practice. The formal training is carried out at EDF Energy Networks’ three training centres at Sundridge, in Kent and Bury St Edmunds and Risby, in Suffolk.

At the end of their programme the apprentices will qualify with a Qualification and Credit Framework (QCF) Diploma in Electrical Power Engineering.

EDF Energy Networks is the largest power distribution business in the UK. The company delivers electricity to nearly eight million homes and businesses in an area extending from the River Arun on the Sussex coast to The Wash in the East. The company’s networks are so large they could stretch several times around the circumference of the planet.

ENDS

For further information please contact Jessica Gallagher in the EDF Energy press office on 01473 266484.

Notes to editors:

EDF Energy is one of the UK’s largest energy companies, producing around a fifth of the nation’s electricity from its nuclear, coal and gas power stations, as well as combined heat and power plants and wind farms. The company provides power to a quarter of the UK’s population via its electricity distribution networks and supplies gas and electricity to more than 5.5 million business and residential customers. It is the number one supplier of electricity to major business in the UK.

EDF Energy’s safe and secure operation of its eight existing nuclear power stations at sites across the country makes it the UK’s largest generator of low carbon electricity. EDF Energy is also leading the UK’s nuclear renaissance and has published plans to build four new nuclear reactors, subject to the right investment framework. These new plants would generate enough low carbon electricity for about 40% of Britain’s homes. They would make an important contribution to the UK’s future needs for clean, secure and affordable energy. The project is already creating business and job opportunities for British companies and workers.

Through Our Climate and Social Commitments EDF Energy has launched the biggest environmental and social programme of any UK energy company. EDF is the official energy utilities partner and sustainability partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The company is also helping its customers and others use energy more sustainably through products and initiatives such as Read, Reduce, Reward and Team Green Britain.

EDF Energy is part of EDF Group, one of Europe’s largest power companies. Following the integration with British Energy in 2009, the company employs nearly 20,000 people at locations across the UK