SSE has welcomed a new intake of recruits to help the electricity infrastructure company to deliver a homegrown energy system.

The UK headquartered business recently unveiled it is on track invest up to £24bn this decade in low-carbon and renewable energy infrastructure. The company estimates its projects will deliver 1,000 direct jobs a year to 2025 across the UK and many more through its supply chain, and it is already supporting more than 40,000 roles across the country.

The company recently welcomed around 150 apprentices and 150 graduates to the business at induction events over the last week, with a total of 131 apprentices and trainees kick-starting their career through the distribution area of the business, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution.

The 131 SSEN Distribution appointments include apprentice jointers, linespersons and electrical fitters working on the electricity network in the north of Scotland and central southern England.

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John Stewart, SSE Director of HR, said:

"We're pushing ahead with our plans to develop a cheaper, cleaner more secure UK energy system by investing billions in clean energy infrastructure. 

"Right now our engineers and apprentices are working in operational roles and on projects up and down the UK. But in order to accelerate progress and deliver our ambitious delivery plans we need to bring in around 1,000 people a year into highly skilled good green jobs and apprentices and trainee engineers are absolutely vital to that. 

"These latest recruits will maintain and help develop critical infrastructure and I'm very pleased to welcome them into the business." 

The new recruits will be deployed across SSE in a variety of roles from building wind farms to maintaining flexible electricity grids to transport more clean power. Many of the apprentices will work in rural and coastal communities, providing high quality, well paid training opportunities which support local economies and communities across the UK. 

This includes in cutting edge developments such as the world's largest offshore wind farm, essential network upgrades and hydrogen, carbon capture and storage (CCS) and hydro-electric power projects. 

Chris Philp MP, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said:

"Our core mission is growth. That means better jobs, higher wages, and more opportunity for everyone.

"Jobs, like the 1,000 a year SSE will deliver over the next three years, which will secure our energy supplies and deliver opportunity to the heart of previously overlooked coastal communities.

Twenty-four year old Eva Thomas from Portsmouth is joining SSEN Distribution and added: "I was attracted to how well SSEN supports its employees and provide a lot of opportunities to progress and grow my career.

"I'm looking forward to working for SSEN and the variety that the job provides, as well as being able to learn and improve my skills and knowledge in a supportive and encouraging environment."