Driving Social Mobility and Building the Future Energy Workforce
Over the past five years, YE has partnered with National Grid to deliver their Pathways to Progress Access programme through their School/College outreach equipping 16–24-year-olds with skills, confidence, and career readiness for the energy sector and green economy.
Pathways to Progress targets disadvantaged communities and supports young people facing barriers to opportunity while aligning with National Grid’s social mobility ambitions and YE’s 2024–2030 Transforming Futures Strategy.
Students participating in the programme access half-day masterclasses with National Grid volunteers providing authentic industry insight and career journeys. Students can progress from classroom engagement to site visits and structured work placements, offering tangible pathways into employment.
In Summer 2025, 15 students were placed in high-quality work placements – including 11 with National Grid and 4 with Morgan Sindall Infrastructure (Great Grid Partner). Students reported increased confidence, industry awareness, and employability skills.
Following their two-week placements, we attended National Grid House in Warwick to celebrate the student’s achievements and those who’ve recently secured roles within the organisation.
“Young Enterprise continues to be a valued tactical partner, enabling targeted outreach to schools and FE colleges in underserved communities. It’s a privilege to witness the exceptional, often overlooked talent uncovered through this strand of the National Grid Pathways to Progress Access Programme and to see how those individuals progress in their careers within our organisation and across our supply chain.” Fergus Hynd, Senior Manager - UK Social Mobility at National Grid
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Pathways to Progress supports young people facing significant barriers to opportunity in disadvantaged areas. Since launch, it has engaged 4,500+ young people across 90+ schools and colleges, with 30 securing roles at National Grid. The programme boosts social mobility by helping young people understand employer expectations (90%), explore energy sector careers (90%), and better showcase their skills (89%).
By 2030, National Grid’s Pathways to Progress programme aims to impact 22,500 young people, helping them build successful futures in the energy sector, supporting their communities and contributing to UK productivity through greater access to opportunity and skills development.
By combining corporate expertise, charity-led delivery, and student ambition, Pathways to Progress continues to bridge the gap between education and employment, particularly supporting students from disadvantaged or underrepresented communities, in building a diverse, future-ready energy workforce.
