The program reflects the company's
commitment to workforce development and employment pathways for
underrepresented talent
WALTHAM,
Mass. and BROOKLYN,
N.Y., April 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- National
Grid today opened applications for its "Charging Our Future"
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Engineering Scholarship
Program. The program supports students enrolled in
undergraduate engineering programs with a strong interest in energy
industry careers.
Now in its third year, National Grid launched the scholarship to
empower high school seniors and college students from low- and
moderate-income communities to pursue academic and professional
success while cultivating a diverse workforce representative of the
communities it serves. Up to 12 new scholars will be awarded as
much as $10,000 each for the
2024-2025 academic year and a paid summer internship related to
their field of study at one of the company's business locations in
Massachusetts or New York.
"The continuation of the 'Charging Our Future' program
underscores National Grid's commitment to building an equitable
clean energy economy in Massachusetts and New York," said Natalie Edwards, Chief Diversity Officer,
National Grid. "Creating a fair and affordable energy future
requires a workforce that mirrors the diversity of our communities.
We're proud to increase education and employment access for
emerging leaders who will shape innovation in the energy
industry."
Awards are renewable for up to three additional years or until
an undergraduate degree is earned, based on academic performance,
full-time enrollment in an eligible major, and the completion of a
summer internship each year.
Syed Bazif, one of 12 scholars awarded since 2022, credits his
internship experiences for expanding his skill set and knowledge of
the energy industry. Now completing his bachelor's degree in
mechanical engineering, Bazif has secured a full-time position as
an Associate Engineer in National Grid's Electrical Planning and
Design team.
"My goal is to establish an impactful career where I can apply
my passion for engineering to solve complex problems, improve
efficiency, and contribute to the advancement of technology for the
betterment of society," said Bazif. "Through my internship at
National Grid, I gained experience working on real-world
engineering projects and developed my interpersonal skills. In the
long term, I aspire to lead teams, drive innovation, and make a
positive difference on society through sustainable engineering
solutions."
Building a Diverse Talent Pipeline
The "Charging Our Future" DEI Engineering Scholarship is one of
several programs and initiatives advancing National Grid's strategy
to connect underrepresented and historically marginalized
communities to career exploration, hands-on training, and valuable
employment opportunities.
In its first year, National Grid's Strategic Workforce
Development Initiative has led to 68 new full-time hires and has
positively impacted on nearly 1,000 work-ready adults, college,
high school, and middle school students in Massachusetts. The initiative offers four
workforce development academies intended for a range of age groups
– from STEM-oriented programming for adolescents to job training
for work-ready adults.
National Grid is dedicated to delivering a smarter, stronger,
cleaner energy system to support state climate goals and meet the
long-term benefits of customers and communities in the Northeast
U.S. The company's proposed transmission infrastructure plans –
Future Grid for Massachusetts and
Upstate Upgrade for Upstate New York – will boost economic growth
and generate thousands of new jobs across its service territories
over the next decade and beyond.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for National Grid's "Charging Our Future" DEI
Engineering Scholarship Program, applicants must:
- Come from a home with a household income of less than 80% of
the HUD median
- Be high school seniors or college students residing and
attending school in Massachusetts
or New York
- Plan to enroll in full-time undergraduate study at an
accredited two- or four-year college or university for the entire
2024-2025 academic year
- Major in an engineering discipline
- Maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.8 or above
- Accept a paid summer internship with National Grid for Summer
2025
The application deadline for the "Charging Our Future" DEI
Engineering Scholarship Program is May 22,
2024. Students can apply through the Scholarship America
Hub: https://learnmore.scholarsapply.org/ng-chargingourfuture/
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.
For more information, please visit our website, follow us
on X (formerly Twitter), watch us on YouTube, like us
on Facebook and find us on Instagram.
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SOURCE National Grid
