Brooklyn, NY – National Grid employees welcomed sophomore and junior students from George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School to their Brooklyn office as part of the third annual New York City Public Schools and Partnership for New York City Career Discovery Week. This initiative aims to provide hands-on career exploration opportunities for high school students across the city. 

Throughout the immersive day-long visit, students had a chance to delve into multiple aspects of the energy business and learn about the role National Grid plays in helping New York State achieve its clean energy goals. From helping customers manage their energy usage to hearing firsthand from National Grid workers responsible for the installation and maintenance of energy delivery infrastructure, the students gained valuable insights into the workings of the energy sector.  

Terry Yarde, National Grid, Brooklyn Community Manager, stressed the importance of connecting with local students early in their career readiness journey, “Career Discovery Week represents a significant milestone in bridging the gap between education and industry, and National Grid is proud to participate in this endeavor, paving the way for a brighter, cleaner, and more inclusive future for all New Yorkers.” 

The visit didn’t stop at observation; students also participated in job readiness workshops facilitated by National Grid employees representing various departments across the organization. These workshops offered practical advice gleaned from employees' personal experiences, tangible skills in resume writing and interviewing, and insights into the utility industry to help students prepare themselves for future career opportunities in the energy sector.  

A highlight of the day was a virtual reality experience by National Grid Ventures, bringing offshore wind to life. Some students used a virtual reality headset that simulated climbing to the top of a 500-foot wind turbine and performing maintenance work. The user experience was shown on monitors so that all the students could follow along in real-time. National Grid Ventures, is a division of National Grid that develops, operates, and invests in energy projects, technologies, and partnerships in the U.S. and UK to accelerate the clean energy future. 

“Giving young people the opportunity to see and experience what it’s like to work in offshore wind was the reason we created the turbine virtual reality experience in the first place,” said Pat Johnson, Program Director at National Grid Ventures, US Northeast. “To attract young people to the clean energy workforce, we need to show them how exciting careers in the industry really are. We want students that visited National Grid during Career Discovery Week to walk away with a new-found interest and curiosity in exploring offshore wind and clean energy as a whole.” 

Speaking to the significance of the day for his students, Westinghouse teacher, Everett Kelly said, “Today means opportunity. Coming here today, we realize there are so many other careers here at National Grid that align with what we teach at school beyond the technical and electric work. Today was a great day for students to see the multiple opportunities that National Grid has to offer.” 

National Grid’s participation in Career Discovery Week underscores its commitment to fostering the next generation of clean energy leaders. By engaging with students and providing them with firsthand exposure to the energy industry, National Grid aims to inspire and empower young people to pursue career opportunities in the dynamic and rapidly evolving field of clean energy. 

About National Grid

National Grid (NYSE: NGG) is an electricity, natural gas, and clean energy delivery company serving more than 20 million people through our networks in New York and Massachusetts. National Grid is focused on building a smarter, stronger, cleaner energy future — transforming our networks with more reliable and resilient energy solutions to meet state climate goals and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.