NIE Networks welcome new apprentices to County Derry depot

NIE Networks have this month welcomed 18 new apprentices to the award-winning NIE Networks Apprenticeship Academy.

The latest cohort join NIE Networks at an exciting time as the organisation embarks on a 'once in a generation' rebuild of the electricity networks to ensure there is a robust and resilient network for years to come.

The apprentices who are on the Wayleave and Surveying apprenticeships or the Overhead Lines Apprenticeships are at the start of a two-year course which sees them obtain relevant industry qualifications and allows them to earn while they learn, avoiding student loans and gaining vital experience as part of their qualification.

The focus on growing the 'Green Skills' workforce is a key element of the NIE Networks award-winning Apprentice Academy which has been shaping futures for over 50 years and is the first platinum accredited Investors in People Apprenticeship in Northern Ireland.  NIE Networks are proud to have an employee retention rate of 97% and around 30% of the senior leadership team began their career journey as apprentices.

The company has bespoke training facilities and apprentices are supported by specialist instructors who mentor them through their qualifications. The Wayleave and surveyors apprentices work both in the office and on site, surveying the overhead lines, liaising with landowners and ensuring the teams have the necessary information to allow them to carry out work on site.  The Overhead Lines team are based out of the NIE Networks depot in Campsie, outside Derry, and the NIE Networks training centre in Nutts Corner.

John Burns, Technical Training Manager with NIE Networks, said: “The electrical industry is in a significant growth period so the opportunities that lie ahead for our apprentices are varied and exciting.  Our vision is to provide an electricity network that is safe and reliable, capable of facilitating a green, renewable future and one that meets the longer term needs of our society so we need to secure a passionate and skilled workforce.”

Ryan McMaster, an Overhead Lines Apprentice with NIE Networks, said: “My initial weeks with NIE Networks have been thoroughly rewarding. It has been a pleasure to engage with both staff and fellow apprentices, and I am genuinely enthusiastic about contributing to the organisation’s efforts in advancing a net zero future over the coming years.  I come from a farming background and love the outdoors, working on Overhead line network has been an aspiration for me for a while now.”

To learn more about NIE Networks Apprentice Academy please click here Career opportunities at NIE Networks | Northern Ireland Electricity Networks

Recruitment for the 2026 NIE Networks Apprentice Academy intake will open in January 2026.