Electrical Contracting News (ECN) March 2017 | Page 33

FEATURE
APPRENTICESHIPS

FEATURE

His previous apprentices had all come through JTL so he introduced Sam to Nigel Tippen who became her training officer . Being a girl in a male dominated industry didn ’ t hold any fears for Sam . She was 21 so not just out of school without any confidence . She admits she felt pressure to prove she was competent , but most guys have that pressure too .
Melvyn John Electrical Contracting is a small but varied company : Domestic , commercial and industrial work to cut her teeth on . She did a lot of work for SPP Pumps in Coleford , which manufactures on and offshore pump sets for the oil and gas industry . Her company was responsible for the design and installation of the cable management systems and wiring each pump set .
Once settled into her apprenticeship she was approached by JTL and invited to become one of their young women ambassadors . Her role was to contribute to a greater understanding among women of the career opportunities that are available in the building services engineering industry . The programme was launched in 2013 and she is one of 25 female ambassadors across England and Wales helping to promote apprenticeships to young women . She ’ s become a star of her own local radio station – BBC Radio Gloucestershire – as a serial guest on its programmes , explaining what she does for a living and encouraging other young women to consider electrical work .
Sam Jones is one of JTL ’ s young women ambassadors .
New York , New York …
Not content to just complete her apprenticeship , Sam was persuaded to enter a prestigious apprentice exchange scheme – the JIB ( Joint Industry Board ) Overseas Apprentice Exchange Scheme for 2016 – and won it ! She spent six weeks in the USA working alongside other women electricians – her first job was up
Sam with her mum and dad , her JTL training officer Nigel Tippen and her employer far right – Melvyn John .
the Empire State Building ! Her placement was on the 67th floor helping to complete a refurbishment of an office block . Sam had a ‘ behind the scenes ’ tour of the building , which included an amazing view across New York from the observation
room , walking around the outside of the mast on the service deck that contains all the antennas for the building – just as well she has a head for heights ! Subsequently , she worked on the Sony office at 11 Madison Avenue , St Patrick ’ s Roman Catholic Cathedral , the offices of Google and finally Madison Square Gardens , where she had the privilege of helping install a brand new HD projector system in the roof over the stadium .
She was then shortlisted in the Women in Construction Awards and was recently invited by Unite the Union to represent it at the global Building and WoodWorkers ’ International Women ’ s Conference , which saw her heading off to Nepal to talk about her experiences . Following the apprenticeship route has certainly opened up a world of experiences for this intelligent young lady .
What advice would she give other young women considering following a career in electrical contracting work ?
‘ Do it !’ she says without any hesitation . ‘ The electrical sector is a diverse one and you can develop your career in whichever direction you want to . You could be wiring new homes or wiring a Formula 1 car ! The opportunities are many and various .
‘ I ’ d urge any young woman or young man for that matter – give it a go and open as many doors as possible . Apprenticeships are a great way to learn a trade and get paid for doing it . And the longer term prospects are huge and exciting .’
Young Sam is a very different individual . She knows her own mind and has achieved great things already . We suspect she will go a long way in this profession .
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