Training

JO’S STORY — COMPEX TRAINING SUCCESS

Completing the industry recognised CompEx Ex01 – Ex04 Gas and Vapours course enables industrial electricians to work in potentially explosive areas. When Jo initially applied to the C&P Training Centre to do the CompEx Ex01 course, she was working as a domestic electrician and wanted to upgrade her skills and potential earnings.

Although the tutors were initially reluctant to let Jo take the course, as she had limited industrial experience as a domestic electrician, she managed to persuade them that she had commercial experience, had already done her research on the subject, and was determined to get the CompEx qualification to try and change her life and support her family after escaping an abusive relationship.

The CompEx Ex01 to Ex04 course is run over five days and provides competence-based training and assessment in the selection, use, maintenance and inspection of electrical equipment in potentially explosive atmospheres.

When Jo arrived at the centre she met up with the C&P Training course tutors, Dewi and Steve, who helped, guided and supported her throughout the course.

Jo studied every evening after each day of the course to make sure she was fully prepared for the theoretical and practical exams at the end of the week.

After taking the course, Jo received her results a week later from JTL and she was so thrilled to have passed the CompEx course that she wrote an email back to the course tutors to thank them for all the help and support they’d given her.

“CompEx is the gold standard in terms of qualification, but once you have passed the course and you are on site, that’s when the learning really starts,” says Jo. “It has not been easy and I took a chance. I was a single mum, I was a ‘mature’ student, and I self-funded my CompEx and all of my offshore certificates. I am repeatedly told how my age works against me, being a woman works against me, how, because of being a mum, I shouldn’t be offshore or even working away from home but it’s all been worth it.

“CompEx 01 – 04 changed my life, my career prospects, my earning potential and has enabled me to better myself and my children’s lives. That is what being a mum is about – setting an example and bringing up your children to be the best they can be too. It always brings a smile to my face when they tell people about what I do and all the places I work – they occasionally admit I’m a pretty cool mum for it too!”

Over the years, C&P Engineering has been actively involved in such schemes as Aspire2Be, which encourages women to enter into the construction and manufacturing industries as electricians.

With only an estimated 1-3% of women being electricians in the UK, there is an enormous potential for females to train and work within the industry.

Since completing the course, Jo has worked around the country, working in MOD settings, utilities – clean and dirty water sites, LNG/oil terminals, nickel refinery, chemical processing plants, and liquid nitrogen storage depots. Jo currently works as a CompEx electrical rope access technician on the oil rigs in the North Sea.

With only an estimated 1-3% of women being electricians in the UK, there is an enormous potential for females to train and work within the industry