The Student Room Group

Has anyone applied for the National Grid apprenticeships this year? 2025

Scroll to see replies

Reply 20

Original post
by joshhold12
I hope you hear some good news soon regarding your AC! I've got mine for a higher apprenticeship this week, have you got any tips or remember any questions you got asked?

Cheers mate, I just had a 45 minute strength based interview not a full day AC, think I bombed it imo nerves got the best of me and thinking in tunnel vision after reflection but hopefully didn't hinder me too much. I can only really speak on the interview as that's what I've done, just try keep a clear head so you can answer the questions fully the best you would want to, because they're really straightforward questions to answer well, just need to keep a cool head so you can give a decent and full answer. Also, try to relate your answers to their vision and values to as many questions as you can. There's traits you'll have in past scenerios that you use that align with their values for example safety aware[do the right thing], commitment to learning new ideas[find a better way] etc and try to ensure you manage to communicate that as much as you can. This is all just for the strength based interview, you may have other interviews like a competency based one also if you're doing a full AC day and group activites etc.

Reply 21

Original post
by bsbsbsbs1
Cheers mate, I just had a 45 minute strength based interview not a full day AC, think I bombed it imo nerves got the best of me and thinking in tunnel vision after reflection but hopefully didn't hinder me too much. I can only really speak on the interview as that's what I've done, just try keep a clear head so you can answer the questions fully the best you would want to, because they're really straightforward questions to answer well, just need to keep a cool head so you can give a decent and full answer. Also, try to relate your answers to their vision and values to as many questions as you can. There's traits you'll have in past scenerios that you use that align with their values for example safety aware[do the right thing], commitment to learning new ideas[find a better way] etc and try to ensure you manage to communicate that as much as you can. This is all just for the strength based interview, you may have other interviews like a competency based one also if you're doing a full AC day and group activites etc.

Thank you so much i appreciate all the advice! i have read your DM it just isn’t letting me reply due to having a new account and what you sent over is really helpful so thanks again! what do you mean by having traits in past scenarios that you use to align with there values? do they mention to refer to your values or hint at it with the “commitment to learning new ideas”?

Reply 22

Original post
by joshhold12
Thank you so much i appreciate all the advice! i have read your DM it just isn’t letting me reply due to having a new account and what you sent over is really helpful so thanks again! what do you mean by having traits in past scenarios that you use to align with there values? do they mention to refer to your values or hint at it with the “commitment to learning new ideas”?
No problem man, wish you the best!

https://www.nationalgrid.com/about-us/our-vision-and-values - In my invite they mentioned it would be beneficial to look into their core vision and values and that's the webpage that goes into them in more detail.

"Commitment to learning new ideas" is a bullet point that coincides with one of their core values "Make it happen". In the strength based questions, they're looking at how much you align with all their values, knowing them will mean when you're thinking of the best scenerio or example to use in one of your answers, you'll pick one where you've demonstrated those values the most and hence provide a stronger answer. They won't mention to refer to any of the values or hint at it, that's up you to provide them with an answer that you think is what they want to hear. So I was saying that you probably have some past scnerios in mind that you've had in your life, you'll be using them as examples when you answer some questions. A time that you dealt with a difficult customer lets say, or a time that you overcame a challenge and in your past experiences you've likely shown commitment to learning new ideas or another one of their values; so try to remember what their values are so you don't forget to mention points which show that in your answers

Reply 23

Anyone had any offers yet after their AC?

Reply 24

Original post
by OpticPluto85
Anyone had any offers yet after their AC?

Still haven’t had an AC yet. Only a zoom interview so fat

Reply 25

Original post
by OpticPluto85
Anyone had any offers yet after their AC?

I heard back last week and didn’t get it.

Reply 26

Original post
by Jenga1
I heard back last week and didn’t get it.

Sorry to hear that mate.

Reply 27

How long does it take to hear back from NG after the AC day to know if you have an offer?

Reply 28

Original post
by studybtec
How long does it take to hear back from NG after the AC day to know if you have an offer?

Been just over 2 weeks for me, I check online everywhere says some hear back within a week, some within 2 weeks some within 3, no way to really know for sure

How long you been waiting ?

Reply 29

three weeks. They said we would hear in about four, not sure why it takes that long?

Reply 30

Original post
by studybtec
three weeks. They said we would hear in about four, not sure why it takes that long?

What position / area did you apply for ? I imagine they’re trying their best but I think they have so many grad and apprentice schemes rn

Reply 31

my invite email advised within 2 weeks and interviewed on 10th, won't be surprised if it's later than that though since there was still a lot of applicants they were arranging interviews and ACs for when I initially got my availability form and invite, plus it was kinda last minute so they're probably quite stacked with everyone. From the sounds of it all of us still waiting to hear should do so soon as quite a few weeks have already gone by. Last week was the last of all the advanced apprenticeships ACs and interviews i think and they might have waited for everyone to complete theirs before starting the review process

Reply 32

I think they were holding an AC at Warwick this week and I think the last are April/May. I am not sure if each AC is for the one role or whether it is for various roles? I got a couple of weeks notice for the AC and 12 were in attendance. It was six hours and had a variety of activities/tasks.

Reply 33

Original post
by studybtec
I think they were holding an AC at Warwick this week and I think the last are April/May. I am not sure if each AC is for the one role or whether it is for various roles? I got a couple of weeks notice for the AC and 12 were in attendance. It was six hours and had a variety of activities/tasks.

Each ac seems to have 3 people for each location and they pick one of those 3

Reply 34

Original post
by bsbsbsbs1
my invite email advised within 2 weeks and interviewed on 10th, won't be surprised if it's later than that though since there was still a lot of applicants they were arranging interviews and ACs for when I initially got my availability form and invite, plus it was kinda last minute so they're probably quite stacked with everyone. From the sounds of it all of us still waiting to hear should do so soon as quite a few weeks have already gone by. Last week was the last of all the advanced apprenticeships ACs and interviews i think and they might have waited for everyone to complete theirs before starting the review process

Do you know what the next step is mate if you passed your zoom interview? I asked my interviewer and he didn’t really know but just gave his best guess. I’m guessing by the time we hear back, plus do the next step, it will be pretty late in the game by the time we get an offer.

Reply 35

Original post
by Redfaction
Do you know what the next step is mate if you passed your zoom interview? I asked my interviewer and he didn’t really know but just gave his best guess. I’m guessing by the time we hear back, plus do the next step, it will be pretty late in the game by the time we get an offer.

A working at heights assessment. It will be late yeah by the time we have an offer until the heights assessment is done BUT I would say if we've cleared the interview then it's done and dusted really because the assessment is just going to be pass or fail not scored or competing with other candidates. You gotta use the gear to climb up to the top of a pylon, show you can do it safely and that you're comfortable and confident with it all. They're going to be done some point in the middle of april, but i'd say once you clear the interview even though the formal offer hasn't been made you're pretty much close enough to the finish line

Reply 36

Original post
by bsbsbsbs1
A working at heights assessment. It will be late yeah by the time we have an offer until the heights assessment is done BUT I would say if we've cleared the interview then it's done and dusted really because the assessment is just going to be pass or fail not scored or competing with other candidates. You gotta use the gear to climb up to the top of a pylon, show you can do it safely and that you're comfortable and confident with it all. They're going to be done some point in the middle of april, but i'd say once you clear the interview even though the formal offer hasn't been made you're pretty much close enough to the finish line

Cool beans. Hopefully see you at the working at heights assessment then mate!

Reply 37

Fingers crossed mate!

Reply 38

Original post
by hmupfudza
Just wondering if anyone has been invited to the assessment centre yet for any of the apprenticeship more so the assistant project manager apprenticeship?

yes my assesment took place on the 25th for asset management lmk if i can help

Reply 39

Original post
by bsbsbsbs1
A working at heights assessment. It will be late yeah by the time we have an offer until the heights assessment is done BUT I would say if we've cleared the interview then it's done and dusted really because the assessment is just going to be pass or fail not scored or competing with other candidates. You gotta use the gear to climb up to the top of a pylon, show you can do it safely and that you're comfortable and confident with it all. They're going to be done some point in the middle of april, but i'd say once you clear the interview even though the formal offer hasn't been made you're pretty much close enough to the finish line

Have you done this before, is it literally just this, as I've got this coming up. Is there not more to it?

Quick Reply

How The Student Room is moderated

To keep The Student Room safe for everyone, we moderate posts that are added to the site.