Energy giant ScottishPower has been “overwhelmed” by the response from Grangemouth workers to a Daily Record report urging them to apply for jobs at the firm. Hundreds of staff facing redundancy at Scotland’s last oil refinery near Falkirk were thrown the jobs lifeline earlier this month.
We revealed how ScottishPower, which has its HQ in Glasgow, is seeking to recruit 1000 people next year as it ramps up investment in its electricity networks. And we told how the company urged under-threat workers at Petroineos’ Grangemouth plant to get in touch for a new role, saying they have exactly the skills they’re looking for.
It said it could also help find careers for those whose jobs were axed by construction giant ISG after it fell into administration in September. Sarah McNulty, People and Organisation Director, said: “We’ve been overwhelmed by the response to the story in the Record.
“This is our largest ever recruitment programme and workers from Petroineos and ISG have exactly the skills we need and we have the jobs to match. We will now look through the CVs of all the people who have responded and start the recruitment process in the new year.
“We would urge anyone interested in making a career switch and moving into power networks to get in touch.” It comes as the energy titan last week launched an ambitious new plan to plough nearly £11billion into Scotland’s electricity infrastructure over the next five years as part of the UK’s clean power push.
Projects in the pipeline include 12 new major transmission substations, 280 miles of upgraded existing circuits, 60 miles of upgraded overhead lines and 22 miles of underground cables. It plans to double its transmission workforce alone, creating around 1400 new directly-employed jobs and supporting another 11,000 posts indirectly across the UK.
McNulty added: “The massive investment in electricity networks announced last week is not just good for modernising critical Scottish infrastructure but for jobs too. These are skilled, secure and well-paid roles that will offer a long-term career helping build, operate and maintain the electricity network across central southern Scotland – and we also have roles across our renewables business too.”
Petroineos announced in September that its Grangemouth plant will become an import-only terminal, with staff numbers at the site set to fall from 475 at present to 75 over the next two years. It’s set to shut its doors as an oil refinery by summer 2025.
Jonathon Nugent, from Falkirk, is the first person to be recruited after being made redundant by Petrineos. He said: “I had literally just finished my apprenticeship and was unsure as to what options were available to me with the upcoming redundancy that has been looming over the company.
“Petroineos were unable to take me out of my apprenticeship but when ScottishPower saw my CV they gave me an interview for a job as a Field Technician with SP Energy Networks, and I’m delighted that I was successful. This job allows me to come out of my apprenticeship and into a technician role with ScottishPower which was a fantastic opportunity to use the skills gained from my apprenticeship.”
Jonathon added: “As an apprentice with no experience the future after redundancy was looking very uncertain, so being able to come out of my traineeship and into a technical role is great news. Now I’m telling my friends and ex-colleagues at Petroineos to get in touch with ScottishPower and consider the switch to power networks.”
Don’t miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond – Sign up to our daily newsletter here.