What does an average day look like for you?

An average day for me is first thing we check if there is any equipment that needs isolating, then we will go do that. We’ll also check if any notifications have been raised about any damaged equipment that needs looking at because it may be a priority and need to be back in service immediately. So, we will go complete any of those tasks as well as tasks on our daily list of equipment to repair. We will work through the list of equipment that needs repairing throughout our day as well.

What personal qualities do you think are important to do your job?

Personal qualities that I think are important to have to work in engineering include communication, teamwork and creativity. I think these qualities are important because sometimes you could be working on the same job as other people so it’s important to be able to discuss how to approach the job as well as the most appropriate way to complete it. It is also important to be able to think outside the box when it comes to tasks and for example, deciding where to run the cable or where to mount the junction box.

How did you first become interested in engineering?

I first became interested in engineering when I did work experience with my dad. I spent a week looking at water treatment engineering and I found it really exciting and interesting, so I started looking at engineering apprenticeships. I love working hands on and figuring problems out so thought an apprenticeship in engineering would be good for me and that I would really enjoy it.

What has been your personal highlight so far?

My personal highlight so far has been working with 440v breakers. I spent some time taking all the cables and components out of a couple breakers and learning what each component does. Then I re-built a breaker by following drawings and standards. I really enjoyed doing this task because I could assess where the best place to mount each component would be, for example, some of them can radiate a high amount of heat so you wouldn’t want them close to other components. I enjoyed testing it as well and seeing if each of the components works as well as the whole breaker, which it did so that was positive.

Why did you choose to do an apprenticeship?

I chose to do an apprenticeship because I wanted to learn hands on and gain new knowledge and skills in a working environment. I find it useful and easier when learning hands on so choosing and apprenticeship was really benefitable to me and I would recommend it to others as well. There are loads of apprenticeships to choose from so you can find the right one for you and it’s not just limited to a certain age, anyone can be an apprentice. You’ll not only have practical training but theory and experience as well to get the most out of your apprenticeship and further your skills.

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