National Grid's scholarship program supports future electric workers amid rising demand

TROY, NY (WRGB) — At 26 years old Albany native, Victorious Folks is back to school with little to no worry about finances.

“I originally went to school at Saint Rose the first semester. I was able to move on but I couldn’t afford to go into the next semester,” said Folks.

After taking some time off and finding work, he’s one of the first recipients of the National Grid Electrical Worker Scholarship.

The goal is to find a meaningful career to support his wife and two sons.

The scholarship covers tuition, books, tools, and offers a mentorship with a national grid employee to learn about the different sectors where Victorious can utilize his degree.

“You could work with the meter or you can do industrial work with the protective relays. It’s really helpful to know exactly how you want to apply this degree to where you want to be. I think it’s very helpful.”

National Grid is looking for their next round of scholarship recipients for the fall 2025 semester.

“As we look to the future of the energy system, we’re recognizing a need to bring on new employees, more employees,” said Kimberly Ireland, National Grid Director of External Affairs. “We’ve got a lot of projects as our customers’ energy needs are changing, and we are upgrading our system on a continual basis.”

The scholarship helps as the workforce is expected to shrink with employees nearing retirement.

“They are thinking about the next stage of their life, and honestly it’s not working,” added Ireland. “It’s going to join their families, and so we are looking to be able to replace those workers with the new generation.”

The need for skilled electric workers is critical as electricity demand increases. Through the Upstate United initiative, National Grid will be investing more than $4 billion in its upstate New York electric transmission system through 2030.

The upgrades will create about 1,700 jobs, making recruitment for new electric workers a priority for the utility.

“If you love working and building things you’re really gonna enjoy it,” said Folks.