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Meet Jennifer Turay

Power Networks Technician

Jennifer’s is a Substation Craftsperson Apprentice at National Grid

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What I do

We are the people behind all the electricity supply and we bring it to companies to distribute to houses, schools and so on. We have all sorts of equipment in our substations to move the electricity around, and we have to maintain it. We make sure all the equipment is running and in good condition, as well as checking around the site, if the weeds are too high for example. We do safety walks to ensure no one has tried to tamper with fencing. We have to keep these sites safe.

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How I became a technician

I started studying engineering in sixth form, doing BTECs in Engineering and IT. I am now doing my Level 4 apprenticeship with National Grid. We train for three years and then have an interview and a practical exam. The interview is four hours long and is really tough. They ask you all about the equipment, what it does, the types of protective equipment we have and how to keep safe. I still have my interview to do and once I have finished that and my logbook, I will be fully qualified.

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A typical day in my
working life

We get to the site at 8am. We will do our timesheets and our emails for about an hour and from that point, it’s all go. We put on our personal protective equipment (PPE) and go to the person who is leading the job, going through what we need to do for the day and working out if we need any materials. We work for about an hour and a half to two hours, have a 15-minute break and then work until lunch.

A typical day in my
working life

After lunch we have a ‘toolbox talk’ where we go through any important news. We then work until the end of the day. In this industry, you finish work at a time to allow you to arrive home at 4-4.30pm. In the summer we only work four days per week, but longer hours. The team on each site can choose how they work the hours.

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A little more about
my everyday role

What I love most about my job

I am torn between travel and the people I work with, because I have been up and down the UK to places that I never would have been to, but I have also made great friends here who have helped me on my journey. I wouldn’t have made it through the three-year apprenticeship without their help. We have fun when we work together, too.

My hobbies

I read a lot and try to cook when I can. I also like knitting and I am learning the ukulele too.

The most exciting thing I’ve achieved so far in my job

As an apprentice, we don’t get a huge amount of responsibility at first but recently I have been given more. Today, I had to drive a flatbed truck to and from some of the sites. I’ve never done that before and I was pleased that they trusted me to do it.

The next steps in my career journey

I can move up to Project Lead and manage my own team. Then I would like to move up again and have more money and more authority. I enjoy the practical side of my job but sometimes I would like to have some time in an office or travelling around planning jobs.

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