Rising Star

One example of a problem you have encountered on the job and how you worked with your employee to overcome it
During a job where I was assisting an engineer with fitting a boiler after I had finished my lesson at college. First, he thought he just needs one part, but on the job, we encountered other issues with the boiler. We discovered that the job had incorrectly installed system, which led to a series of problems: the pump was installed backwards, causing air locking and the boiler to lock out. On top of that, the essential pump was missing, which was an important part needed for the system to work correctly.

Understanding the emergency of the situation, especially because the customer was left without heating or hot water, we checked all the pipework to see if the pipe (we were looking for) was installed elsewhere. As it was getting late, me and my mentor split the work. As I’m only halfway through my second year, it gave me the reassurance that I was already trusted to handle significant tasks independently and the confirmation of my mentor trust in my abilities (which I have been demonstrating during my partnership).

The job needed a new part (pump), so I worked closely with my mentor, using my initiative to research and compare parts online, to make sure we selected the right replacement. To find the part, it was teamwork because we needed to complete the job the same day because the customer was left without hot water and heating. I was calling to merchants out of my area and also had the office helping to call different places trying to help the engineer get the parts and the boiler to work. We successfully fixed the boiler and everyone was happy us with the work we did and the customer with having a perfectly working boiler again.

This situation taught me lessons, that it’s important to keeping spare parts in the van to always be prepared for situations like this and not assuming that work done previously will be done the right way (this was an example where it wasn’t done correctly before causing us more work and longer time at the job). I learned how important it is to track back pipework to original issues to make sure it’s done correctly. This project is part of the reason I am always keeping detailed notes and pictures of my work to look back to, to improve my learning and to always be as much as I can for future jobs.

One example of going the extra mile and/or shown outstanding commitment during your apprenticeship
Usually before an install, I prepare by watching YouTube tutorials and asking my mentor plenty of questions. This helps me to learn more and go to each job with confidence.

However recently, after my shift, I unexpectedly volunteered to help a customer. We needed to reset the customer’s boiler due to her dropping her thermostat due to arthritis in her hands. On the job I tried my best to fix the problem, but realised that her thermostat was damaged and would need my team’s support to fix it. She was very worried that her boiler would explode and I calmly reassured her about her safety concerns regarding the boiler, explaining why it would not explode and the working parts of her heating system.

I independently reset the boiler to ensure she had hot water and explained the next steps – that the engineer will do to fix, ensuring she understood and was happy. I shared all the information (maybe too much but better more than less about the project) with my team, sharing detailed information in our group chat for the next engineer’s visit next day and completing the necessary reports in our app.

I stayed with her for 2 hours (unpaid and in my own time) talking about her most recent trips and finding clubs for her to attend as she was new to the area after moving from Scotland to be closer to her family and also answering any questions she had.

This experience was a great learning opportunity, showing the importance of patience, communication and teamwork. I showed my commitment to great customer service, which is result I have always received positive feedback from my team and customers who describe me as polite and professional.

Three important qualities of a good heating installer and how you have demonstrated these qualities

Having patience is important, especially when explaining technical steps to elderly customers or people who don’t understand the systems, so I always break it down for them so make sure they feel at ease knowing we are not going to “rip them off” like cowboy builders. A recent example was with an 89-year-old gentleman showing early signs of dementia. Even though he was cross/agitated with me with when I was taking my time to do the work to my best ability, I patiently showed and explained to him the issue (he was coming back 20 minutes later with a new issue that he asked questions about). My experience working in the care home helped me improve this skill to simplify complex explanation, I often use visuals from my phone and textbooks to help. It helps to builds trust and customers feel comfortable and informed about the services they receive.

Having a passion and drive for your job/career, being a mature learner and a female is a lot harder than it is for males. I had to work extremely hard for this and often got frustrated on the classroom due to the other students messing around and not paying attention as they had their apprenticeship handed to them as they had just left school. As I chose a different path, it was extremely hard for me to find anywhere to take me on. I saved £7000+ to go to night school, was working 2 days a week for free at a plumbing company and then would attend night school while working a full time job with overtime just so I could save up for my tools to take to my unpaid work experience. My passion and drive helped me massively as I’m now one of the top 3 in my class. I have already spoken couple times on BBC radio, and want to inspire other women, showing that female are amazing installers and gender doesn’t matter.

I believe being happy, positive (take pride in my job) is a key part to any job especially in plumbing, where things can go unexpectedly. No matter what, I always try to focus on one aspect of my work I’m proud of each day, whether it’s a neat pipe solder or a well-organised tool kit. This approach not only keeps me motivated but also ensures I have a positive attitude towards my work and customers. Positivity has been a key part of dealing with my mental health challenges, and having a supportive team has made a significant difference. It’s important to me to maintain a cheerful disposition and to ask for help when needed in work or personal life.