What’s your current role at WWU and what does your job involve?
I’m a Pipeline Apprentice, learning how to look after our high pressure pipelines across North Wales. They transport gas long distances between towns and supply heavy industry like steelworks. To help keep the gas the flowing, I do maintenance work, including pipeline surveys and fault finding like CIPs and DCVG which are Cathodic protection surveys that can pick up any potential corrosion or coating damage along the pipeline.
What first interested you in being part of the energy industry and how did you join?
I fell into it to be truthful! I started my career at Wales & West Utilities in the office, but got increasingly interested in what our engineers were doing. This inspired me to build my skillset in engineering so when I saw the Pipeline Apprentice vacancy I jumped at the chance and was accepted on to the course. I’ve learnt so much so far and can’t wait to be fully qualified after I complete my apprenticeship.
What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
The variety in the work I do means that no day is like any other. Every day brings something new and exciting.
What are the biggest challenges you face in your job?
North Wales looks small on a map but it’s massive! I cover an area from Builth Wells to Wrexham, so there can be a lot of spent commuting from town to town. Avoiding traffic is a common challenge!
How do you bring your previous experience from outside the sector to your current role?
Having worked in the hospitality sector, the importance of good customer service has been instilled in me for much of my working life. These positions also stress the importance of teamwork and how everyone needs to come together to get the best results. Although maintaining gas pipes is far away from serving guests, good customer service and teamwork have been essential transferable skills and help me keep the gas flowing so our customers across North Wales stay safe and warm.
Now that COVID restrictions are being eased, what are you looking forward to post-pandemic?
It’s definitely being able to see friends and family! Lockdown has affected so many people in different ways, it’s now nice to know that we can see our nearest and dearest.
Notes to editor
Previous energy networks profiles:
- Laura Dunn, Senior Delivery Engineer, SP Energy Networks (8 June 2021)
- Farina Farrier, Head of Open Networks at Energy Networks Association (11 May 2021)
- Katharine Clench, National Grid ESO's Regional Development Programme Strategy Manager (8 April 2021)
- Elena Theodorou, Energy Networks Association's data lead (8 March 2021)
About us
Energy Networks Association (ENA) is the industry body representing the energy networks. Our members include every major electricity network operator in the UK. The electricity networks are at the heart of the energy transition. They directly employ more than 26,000 people in the UK, including 1,500 apprentices. They are spending and investing £33bn in our electricity grids over the coming years, to ensure safe, reliable and secure energy supplies for the millions of homes and businesses reliant on power every day.
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