Member Article

Jess steps up to power plant role

Having side stepped a career in dance to work at an industrial power plant, Jess Pinder has become the first female to complete her employer’s apprenticeship training programme.

The 20-year-old from Humberston, near Grimsby quit dance school in favour of a career in process technology with the px group.

Jess has now permanently joined the px team at the Stallingborough combined heat and power (CHiP) station, in the role of Operations and Maintenance Support Technician. The plant, which px operates on behalf of Cristal Pigment UK, supplies power and steam to support the production of specialist titanium materials.

She said: “I loved dancing but it would have meant being away from home a lot and generally plenty of time between jobs so, having also been interested in Chemistry, I went for industry over the arts.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my apprenticeship and am grateful for all the support I have had from colleagues. I think the industry is ready for more female workers and px is certainly encouraging that.”

Growing energy and process industry specialist, the px group, has stepped up its commitment to training – employing more apprentices than at any time since being established in 2002. This year four have completed their apprenticeships, going on to be appointed into their first permanent roles.

Two more are continuing with their apprenticeships in engineering and process subjects and a further two have completed an initial apprenticeship and continued to a higher level. The company is also recruiting four apprentices across ICT, process and commercial disciplines.

North East Apprenticeship Champion and a consultant to the group, George Ritchie - MBE, said: “Apprentices are the future of any business and so we want them to feel part of the team and understand the opportunities that are available to them. Jess has done incredibly well and is a real role model for women considering careers in industry.”

During her three year apprenticeship Jess studied at the CATCH facility – a technical training centre with its own process plant - before joining the Stallingborough team to develop her operational knowledge, skills and understanding.

She has completed her Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Processing Industries Operations, studying subjects such as safety, health and environment, complex processing operations, heat and power and protection of the environment within processing industries.

On site she has delivered safe, environmental and statutory operations, preparing safety documentation, supervising contractors, contributing to maintenance and outage projects and data inputting onto plant systems.

In addition, Jess has taken an active role in promoting and encouraging other women to consider engineering and process career paths. She has been part of a regional panel to support National Women Into Engineering Day; became an apprentice ambassador and visited Westminster to meet with ministers to discuss the benefits of apprenticeships.

The px group operates and maintains high hazard facilities at 10 sites around the UK. These include gas processing, fossil fuel and renewable power generation plants and fuel storage depots. As a fully integrated energy infrastructure solutions business it currently employs almost 500 people, also providing energy trading and engineering consultancy services.

*Picture caption: Jess pictured with North East Apprenticeship Champion and consultant to px group, George Ritchie. *

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Paul Dobbie .