Taneisha

Taneisha's STORY

Apprentice, Jersey Electricity

Apprentice
Jersey Electricity

Taneisha is an Apprentice Plumber working for JEBS which is the Building Service Division of JE.

What do you do, and where do you do it?

I’m an Apprentice Plumber working for JEBS which is the Building Service Division of JE.

Why is your role important?

Plumbing is an essential trade and we maintain essential infrastructure such as sanitation, water supplies and heating.

Which parts of the job do you enjoy most / find most rewarding?

I enjoy taking on larger projects that I can see through the entire way like boiler and cylinder installations or major site work. It’s rewarding to build something useful and tangible and it gives me a sense of achievement knowing that I’ve done it all (mostly) by myself!

What path did you use to get to the position you hold today?

After I completed my GCSE’s I joined the Trackers programme where they helped me find my first plumbing role.

What did you do before?

I’ve worked in plumbing for over two years in addition to my studies.

What attracted you to join the energy and utilities sector?

I’ve always loved practical work. My Dad is a skilled carpenter so we always worked on home projects together and when I left school I knew I wanted to go into a trade. Plumbing seemed like a great option because it’s an ever-expanding industry, and it’s needed everywhere in the world.

What are you most passionate about?

I’m passionate about helping people and making a difference, however small.

Have you been nominated for or won any awards?

Not yet, but I definitely wouldn’t mind getting one!

What excites you about your career prospects? What training and development have you received?

Trade jobs allow you a lot of freedom with where you want to go in the world, I think I’m definitely excited to have that opportunity in the future. I’m also excited to just be able to be qualified and do the jobs on my own, I think difficult jobs like plumbing require a lot of independence when you’re working on things alone, and I’m excited to be able to rely solely on myself when there is a problem. I’ve had quite a lot of training, mostly in college or on day courses organised by Trackers, for example, Manual Handling, Asbestos Awareness, Health and Safety etc.

What does an average day consist of?

An average day usually consists of being paired with a colleague and then heading to the job, such as a boiler or cylinder installation. The first step on the job is usually a visual check and making a plan of where everything’s going to go before completing the necessary work.

Would you recommend your job to a friend and why?

I would absolutely recommend my job to anyone with a practical mindset who enjoys solving problems. If you like working with your hands and don’t want to be tied down to a desk all day then it’s definitely a great option.

What are some of the highlights and challenges of being a woman in an energy sector role?

I’ve mostly been struck by how welcoming people are. Being a woman in the trade opens up many interesting conversations with my colleagues, suppliers and customers.

I’ve certainly faced some prejudice in the past and there are likely going to be some challenges in the future, but the world is always changing and becoming more accepting. I believe that as women increasingly move into male-dominated industries it’s only going to help society to become more inclusive.

Do you have any advice on how these roles can appeal to a more diverse candidate pool?

I think companies need to demonstrate that there is representation for almost everyone in the trade industry. They need to strongly promote diversity at schools or career shows and encourage young people to see that they don’t have to be a certain gender, race, height, or build to join a trade. I’ve spoken to a lot of people who wanted to join a trade when they were younger but didn’t think they would fit in or have a chance. I think if companies were to champion diversity and inclusivity and really walk the talk, we’d open up career opportunities for so many talented young people.

Do you have any advice for anyone thinking about applying for an Apprenticeship role at Jersey Electricity?

I would say absolutely go for it, I’ve only worked here for a couple months, but all the guys are really welcoming and helpful, and you can tell that the management really care about their workers, which is nice to see with such a large company. My advice would be just work hard and show interest in the job that you’re doing, as there’s a lot to learn.

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– Taneisha De Gruchy

Apprentice

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