Get the cash flowing and tap into an exciting career in the water industry
Experts in the industry says the demand for skilled workers at water firms across the UK is increasing as the existing workforce ages
TAP into an exciting career in the water industry.
A leading training organisation for the industry says the demand for skilled workers at water firms across the UK is increasing as the existing workforce ages.
Pete Featherstone, operations boss at Peterborough-based Merit Skills, explains: “Apprenticeships are seen as a big part of the solution.”
Merit has launched a programme coaching young apprenticeship-trained engineers to become the next generation of trainers.
For those who like working with people and supporting skills development, this offers a fantastic route into a career as a training professional.
Ben Ely, 28, from Linton, Cambs, completed an apprenticeship with Merit Skills before starting a successful career with Cambridge Water and Anglian Water.
Now Ben is back working for Merit Skills and teaching others the skills which he has learned over the years.
He said: “After seven years in the water industry, I appreciated the great foundation my apprenticeship gave me — and wanted to pass on my experience to others making the same journey.
“I wanted a new challenge and an opportunity to develop my career further.
“To have the chance to do this work with Merit Skills, who made such a lasting impression on me during my own training, was fantastic.
Benefit of experience
“I now get to travel around the country delivering training, assessing new learners and giving them the benefit of my knowledge and experience to help them through the part of their careers they should always remember.”
Merit Skills is recruiting for water industry trainers across the country and wants to hear from people such as Ben.
The potential salary, after qualification, is around £35,000.
To find out more information about job oppotunities, or apply for work, email [email protected].
Grad all over
IF you are at uni, you may be wondering how to get the job you want after you graduate. Here, Sophie Phillipson of has the following tips:
• Build up work experience during holidays or in term time. It is almost a necessity for securing permanent employment.
• Big company grad schemes are competitive but many small businesses are happy to offer work experience too. Research a shortlist of firms and approach each with a phone call or well-crafted email that explains why you’d like to work there.
• Ask friends and family or search LinkedIn for business contacts you could approach.
• Speak to your careers advice service. Some unis fund internships and many have good contacts with local businesses.
Do a good job on your CV
IF you’re applying for a job, your CV needs to stand out to the employer.
Try workplace consultant Andy Swann’s tips.
Show your personality. This is your chance to show what you are like as an individual.
Show you care about this job. If you want to secure an interview, then make it clear you are interested in both the job and the company that might offer it to you.
Put the best bits first. Make your brilliance unavoidable by putting the most relevant higher up.
Be creative but don’t go overboard. Baking a cake CV is a great idea if you’re after a bakery job, but be sensible. Not all employers will appreciate “novelty” CVs .
Think about your audience. Consider who will read your CV. Put yourself in their shoes and think how they will feel when they read it.
The Human Workplace by Andy Swann is out now (Kogan Page, £19.99)
JOB SPOT
Mothercare is hiring a part-time customer service adviser for its store in Weybridge, Surrey. See .
Jewson is recruiting a Class 2 crane driver based in Wroxham, Norfolk. See .
Disability is not an obstacle to work
THE UK’s employment rate is 75 per cent but only half of disabled people are in work.
Pat Suter, disability employment adviser at Jobcentre Plus, has this help for disabled job hunters:
➊ Focus on what you CAN do. Some people lose confidence, unsure what they can offer. When I ask about their lives and interests , there is always a skill set there.
➋ What can you do differently? If a condition means you can’t be seated for long periods, say, consider a job that involves more standing or moving around.
➌ Don’t make assumptions about employers. More than 5,500 are signed up to the government’s Disabililty Confident scheme, which encourages firms to support disabled employees. See .
➍ Remember, you are not alone. One in four people experiences a mental health problem at some point.
➎ Find something that works for you. There is a role out there for everyone. Disability employment advisers are on hand at your local Jobcentre Plus to help you find it.
MOST READ IN MONEY
How to unwind the mind
IT might be a relatively new health trend, but mindfulness – the skill of understanding yourself – is being taught to staff by top multi-national companies such as Google.
Robbie Steinhouse, who wrote Mindful Business Leadership, suggests five ways mindfulness will change your working life – and you can try some of his exercises at .
➊ It helps you think before you act by teaching you to take a breather at those “make or break” moments.
➋ Mindfulness is a healthy way to combat stress and unwind, rather than choosing to drink or overeat.
➌ It allows you to notice this process as it starts, so you can stop it and do something better instead.
➍ Regular mindfulness practice allows you to focus on positive thoughts.
➎ Mindfulness quietens the mind, letting you come up with new, creative solutions to workplace problems.
Mindful Business Leadership by Robbie Steinhouse (Routledge, £19.99) is out now