Trailblazer Oliver is one of the first to meet new standards for electricity

UK Power Networks’ electricity trainee Oliver Boarer, 43, collected his Trailblazer trade certificate at the House of Commons from MP Nadhim Zahawi, the Prime Minister’s apprenticeship adviser.

The new apprenticeship standards signal a new landmark in the way apprentices are prepared for work across all industries.

Oliver, of Greenways Crescent, joined UK Power Networks’ 18-month training scheme in 2014 to become a ‘jointer’, connecting and repairing underground electricity cables to keep the lights on across London, the South East and East Anglia.

His role will include ensuring local electricity networks are ready for the roll out of smart meters by electricity suppliers.

Oliver, who works at the UK Power Networks site in Portslade, said: “I’m extremely pleased to have completed my apprenticeship and didn’t realise we were the first group nationally to achieve the trailblazer standard. The training was really relevant to the job and I had lots of support from the local office, gaining hands-on experience to complete all the tasks required. It was an opportunity to work for a top 25 company and gain skills some describe as a job for life.

“Having retrained from a chef to an electrician and now this I want to keep learning and developing. There is a lot to learn, not just in work books but practical learning, on the job, and that continues. It’s a lot to take in but if you put in the effort you reap the rewards.”

Sue Husband, director of the National Apprenticeship Service, said: “Celebrating the success of the first apprentice graduates on a new Standard is very positive news for apprenticeships. Trailblazers are designing apprenticeships that are incorporating the skills, attributes and talents that employers need.”

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