Siemens' Hebburn academy to help develop next-gen engineers as electricity investment could support 9,950 jobs
The Siemens Training Academy in Hebburn will help develop the next generation of Protection and Automation engineers, supporting the £181bn upgrade of Britain's electricity networks by 2035.
Investment in Britain’s electricity networks could support 9,950 jobs across the North East by 2035 and add £2.4bn to the local economy - with engineer training already underway in Hebburn.
These figures are according to the Electricity Networks Sector Growth Plan, published by BEAMA and the Energy Networks Association (ENA), who say the jobs span manufacturing, construction and installation, and running and maintaining the network.
Nationally, £181bn is expected to be invested in Britain’s electricity networks by 2035.
The plan finds this could support more than 210,000 jobs and add £58bn to the UK economy.
Siemens Training Academy – Hebburn
Siemens’ new Training Academy launched in September 2026 to help develop the next generation of Protection and Automation engineers.
The academy combines classroom learning, expert-led technical training and hands-on project experience in a dedicated training facility, enabling apprentices to build and test real network control and protection systems.
Steve Goldspink, Managing Director of Electrification and Automation at Siemens UK & Ireland, said: "This is a major milestone for the future of the energy sector. The electricity grid is one of the UK's most critical national assets. It underpins businesses and communities across the country, and its capacity and resilience will increasingly determine our ability to attract investment and grow industries, from advanced manufacturing to the digital infrastructure needed for AI.
"This plan gives us a roadmap to maximise the value we already have in our grid infrastructure - through targeted technology adoption and by extending the life of existing equipment wherever possible.
“The technology we need already exists, the challenge is deploying and adopting it at the pace required. The report outlines a need to ensure we have enough skilled people to support the transition, particularly in critical areas such as commissioning, where shortages can ultimately determine how quickly new infrastructure comes online.”
Skills: 128,000 people needed by 2035
The sector will need to attract, recruit and retain around 128,000 people across Britain by 2035, including around 6,000 new apprentices in the direct workforce and around 15,000 people at entry level, giving young people and career changers a route into the industry.
To unlock these jobs in the North East, the plan sets out the key enablers: clearer visibility of future demand so manufacturers can invest in capacity with confidence, greater certainty in how network equipment is bought, and centralised training for network-critical roles such as cable jointers and protection engineers.
Yselkla Farmer, Chief Executive of BEAMA, said: “Upgrading Britain’s grid is one of the biggest infrastructure programmes of our time. The Sector Growth Plan sets out how we will deliver it, giving manufacturers and service providers confidence to invest in people and places.
“The removal of uncertainties isn’t just helpful to the industry. It’s helpful for UK growth. After all, every new pylon and substation built over the next decade is a potential order for a factory, creating jobs in local communities which will give us the electricity we need to power our industries and economy.”