National Grid has pledged £5M to fund training and employment support for 5,000 young people over the next five years becoming one of the first major employers to back Prime Minister Andy Burnham's recent overhaul of technical education. The government said the new technical routes, alongside employer-led schemes, will aim to reduce that number. National Grid said its fund will start supporting young people from the first half of next year, working with local partners to match provision to regional needs. A key part of this is matching employers to young people to ensure they get the skills, technical knowledge and experience they need. That’s why National Grid is launching a new £5M fund to help around 5,000 young people not in education or work, to develop the skills, qualifications and confidence needed to build long-term careers.