This Engineers Week, National Grid Ventures (NGV) is preparing more than 100 area students for career pathways in energy. Students from grades 9 through 12 and continuing education programs are taking part in on-site tours at the company’s Port Jefferson, E.F. Barrett and Northport power generation stations on Long Island for a close-up look at the skilled jobs and training that keep the electricity flowing to area homes and businesses. The students are also speaking with recruiting representatives about the job application process, identifying positions that match their skillset for potential careers in the field.

More than 40 students from Port Jefferson High School will tour the power station in Port Jefferson for Engineers Week. Over the past month, the E.F. Barrett station hosted over 25 students from the Viscardi Center’s PROSPER program, which helps students from Long Island school districts stay on track and finish their degrees. Morrison Mentors, the Hempstead-based education and career center, also toured the facility. Program participants from the United Way’s Power UP! and YouthBuild programs, which support wind, solar and renewables training on Long Island, visited the Northport station. Separately, NGV is hosting a livestream event for 200 students in New York, Ohio and the UK where NGV’s president Katie Jackson will share energy career tips from her experience leading US and UK renewable energy projects.

“Engineers Week is a great time of year for our generation team to bring students on site and is another valuable opportunity to learn about energy jobs,” said Katie Jackson, President of National Grid Ventures. “Attracting more local talent to the energy industry is essential to building the diverse workforce of the future and we’re excited to connect with students again this year.”

According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, STEM jobs are projected to grow 10.8 percent between 2022 and 2032, compared to 2.3 percent in non-STEM jobs. NGV works with local organizations to provide education on career pathways in energy and advertises open jobs at the generation facilities on Long Island.

“Opening doors to career opportunities in the energy industry for students in our workforce training programs is a priority and we take pride in our partnership with National Grid Ventures, which provides our students with firsthand exposure to current and future energy job prospects on Long Island,” said John Diaz, Director of Community Impact, United Way of Long Island. “An important part of our collaboration is the opportunity it provides for our students to interact directly with energy professionals, allowing them to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of the industry.”

Founded by The National Society of Professional Engineers in 1951, National Engineers Week is dedicated to ensuring a diverse and well-educated future engineering workforce by increasing understanding of and interest in engineering and technology careers. This year’s theme “Welcome to the Future” is about celebrating today’s achievements and paving the way for a brighter and more diverse future in engineering.

About National Grid Ventures

National Grid Ventures (NGV) is the non-regulated division of National Grid plc, one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the world. NGV operates outside of National Grid’s core regulated businesses in the US and UK where it develops, operates and invests in energy projects, technologies and partnerships to accelerate the development of a clean energy future. NGV’s diverse portfolio of low carbon and renewable energy businesses across the UK, Europe and US includes subsea electricity interconnectors, wind and solar power, and battery storage. For more information, visit https://www.nationalgrid.com/national-grid-ventures.