ScottishPower has received more than 6,000 applications for its 2026 apprenticeship programme, the highest number in the company’s history, as interest in energy careers rises alongside a major expansion of Britain’s electricity infrastructure.
The green energy company said the applications were made for 150 roles across its businesses, including SP Energy Networks and SP Electricity North West, with opportunities spanning locations from Annan to Anglesey, Motherwell to Manchester, and Stirling to Stockport. The total marks a 25% increase on 2025, pointing to growing demand for entry routes into the energy sector as employers scale for long-term grid and generation investment.
ScottishPower is currently pursuing a £24bn investment programme focused on rewiring the grid and building more clean power, with plans to expand its workforce from 6,500 to 11,000 by 2030. The apprenticeship intake forms part of that broader growth plan. Roles on offer this year include data science, engineering, fitting, jointing, logistics, overhead lines, project management, and software engineering, reflecting the mix of physical infrastructure and digital capability now required across the industry.
The breadth of the programme also shows how energy apprenticeships are shifting beyond traditional engineering pipelines. ScottishPower said it has more than trebled the apprenticeship routes on offer in recent years, widening access to technical, commercial, and operational career paths. More than 450 apprentices are already working across the business and will be joined by the new cohort later this year.
Sarah McNulty, ScottishPower’s UK People Director, said: “We’ve been blown away by the response to this year’s apprenticeship programme, which confirms what we’ve always known – that the energy industry is the place to be. It’s also testament to the success of the thousands of apprentices who have come before and progressed into long-term careers across our different businesses.”
She added that the company has extended opportunities “from the more traditional ‘hard hat, hi vis’ engineering roles to the tech and commercial skills needed today”, framing the programme as part of a wider effort to build the workforce required for a clean energy future.
That message is echoed by current apprentices. Robyn McKenzie, a recent project management apprentice with SP Energy Networks, said the scheme had given her “exposure, knowledge and strategic insight” she would not have gained in a standard role. Chloe Winder, who is due to complete her cybersecurity technologist apprenticeship in mid-2026, said the programme had opened the door to “meaningful opportunities”, including live security work and different specialisms across the network.
The volume of applications suggests that, for younger workers and career changers alike, the energy industry is gaining ground as a destination for long-term training, paid development, and skills linked to infrastructure investment. For ScottishPower, the challenge now will be turning that interest into a workforce pipeline that can keep pace with the scale of its build-out plans.
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