Paving the way for alternative careers
With racing hearts and sweaty palms, it’s that time of year again when thousands of students across England and Wales will be getting their A-Level results and considering their next steps. And while many may choose to go to university, others will be looking to explore alternative routes to career success.
At E.ON, we’re a leading employer when it comes to offering young people a variety of early career options. We’re proud to offer apprenticeships focused on a range of topics, from customer service and accountancy to HR, legal and cyber security – and all within an organisation that is focused on delivering the transition to a new, more sustainable energy world.
Combining learning and earning
Apprenticeships combine training with work, meaning apprentices are paid whilst learning and completing their apprenticeship qualification and gaining practical and relevant work experience in a specific business or industry. Our apprenticeship programs offer many additional benefits too, including mentorship from experienced specialists and the development of a strong professional network.
What’s more, our degree apprenticeships present an excellent opportunity for individuals to achieve a university degree while gaining hands-on experience in their chosen field, including Engineering, Project Management and Environmental Specialist. This combination of theoretical knowledge and practical application ensures that our apprentices are well-prepared for their future careers.
And with recent LinkedIn data showing a 14.2% increase since 2021 in UK job postings not requiring a degree, it’s clear that there’s a wider shift towards more inclusive hiring practices. In fact, apprenticeships are becoming more commonplace with LinkedIn finding that job adverts mentioning apprenticeships were up in sectors such as utilities (61%), retail (59%) and technology (16%).
Beyond apprenticeships, we also offer a variety of entry-level roles for those without degrees, including positions in customer service, administrative support and technical support.
Helen Bradbury, Chief People Officer at E.ON UK: “We know many young people are now wanting to go straight into employment to get a head start on their careers. At E.ON, we’re proud to offer a variety of pathways to build successful careers, regardless of pupils’ educational background.
“Our apprenticeships are focused on ensuring our apprentices develop the future skills needed to thrive and are designed to provide both practical experience and academic learning, allowing apprentices to earn while they learn and gain valuable skills that are directly applicable to their roles.
“We also offer a variety of entry-level roles for those without degrees. These roles serve as a springboard into a rewarding career and provide comprehensive on-the-job training and development opportunities, ensuring that our colleagues have the tools and support they need to thrive and progress within the company.”
Supporting learning and development
We believe in the potential of every individual and are dedicated to offering pathways that support personal and professional growth. Whether through a degree apprenticeship, starting in an entry-level role, or ongoing training and development, our employees have the opportunity to build fulfilling and dynamic careers with us.
And we’ve recently been recognised as one of the best apprenticeship employers in the UK, according to reviews and feedback submitted by its own apprentices to Rate My Apprenticeship. We’re proud to be ranked number 26 in the latest national Rate My Apprenticeship Best 100 Apprenticeship Employers guide, and number one in the energy and utilities sector.
We spoke to one of our Degree Apprentice, Mille Betteridge to find out more about why she chose an alternative path as well as her experience so far on the degree apprenticeship scheme at E.ON.
Millie Betteridge, Future Leaders Degree Apprentice, said: “I always knew that traditional university wouldn’t be for me, as I wanted to gain as much experience as I possibly could straight away after A-Levels.
“I had decided very early on that I wanted to do a different route to gaining a degree, so I knew starting sixth form that I would quite like a degree apprenticeship. Therefore, it felt natural for me to apply at the same time as writing my personal statement and completing UCAS for other universities.
“When I heard about E.ON’s Future Leaders Degree Apprenticeship, it immediately got my attention. I’m able to move around the business every 6 months over my 4-year course, into areas that I choose myself, so it can be exactly what I want it to be. Not only this but studying towards a Business Management degree felt like the perfect stepping stone into a career, especially whilst gaining firsthand experience.
“I love that by the time we get used to being in a job role and start to feel like we’ve really got the hang of it, we move onto our next venture! This means that we’re always learning, which is perfect to gaining as much business experience as we can during our 4 years on the scheme. I feel so lucky to be 20 years old and have experience within customer service, a marketing team, business improvement and learning and development. All of which have aligned really nicely with my university course which is what makes the scheme so brilliant!”