Utilities - Case Studies

Rank on Exit: SSgt

Years of Service: 22 Years

Qualifications Gained: BTEC Aeronautical Engineering

 

Duncan May, 40,
 served in the Army (REME) for 22 years – in locations such as Northern Ireland, Bosnia, West Germany and Iraq – specialising as an Aircraft Technician and leaving as a SSgt in July 2009. While serving, he gained BTEC Aeronautical Engineering, NVQ3 Mechanical Engineering and First Aid qualifications; during his resettlement period, he completed a number of courses, including: NEBOSH General Certificate and PRINCE2.
 He now works as an operations technician for the Enfield Eon power station, as part of a two-man team provides 24-hour cover for the running of the station, which supplies generation to the National Grid.

He found his CTW ‘very useful’ – in particular, ‘CV writing, types of CV, how to pitch with a covering letter and how to conduct yourself in an interview’, and is also finding his Forces engineering management training an asset in civilian life.

When asked how he found his current job as an operations technician in a natural gas-fired combined cycle power station, he says, ‘While I was on my NEBOSH course, I was networking with a few guys who worked for Eon. I got an interview from my CV and was offered a job after two weeks.’
That job involves ‘delivering, on behalf of the operations team, safe, efficient operation and first-line maintenance of the asset, to maximise its commercial benefit within our legal requirements. We support the operations team to develop best practice in order to deliver the business plan requirements and manage the specified functional areas of the plant, and to meet future station needs.’

Of the pros and cons, he comments, ‘Shift working can be hard going at times, but the flip-side is more time off. You are left alone to do your work and get paid for overtime. And, at the moment, not counting my pension, I am around 8K better off in terms of salary.’

Rank on Exit: Private

Years of Service: 6 Years

Qualifications Gained: Gas Network Operator

 

After six years in The Parachute Regiment, Private David Millar had tours in Northern Ireland, Kenya, Oman and Iraq under his belt, a specialisation as a sniper, driving licences, NVQs at Level 2 in Maths and English, and a desire to change career. Last August, in his early 20s, he left the Army after a Career Transition Workshop – ‘very useful and helped with writing CVs as well as direction and instruction on how to apply for jobs’ – and a welding course in Wakefield.

This, and an indirect recommendation from the Regular Forces Employment Association, led Millar to a Gas Network Operator (GNO) 1 Course with CSM Corporate Safety Management, organised through an agency - SDH. ‘Two weeks of the course were classroom based, and the other eight were spent working alongside qualified operators, on attachment. I part funded this myself, and on successful completion of the course, I was given a permanent full time employment with SGN.

‘I hope to progress on to a GNO2 in the future, once I get the opportunity to do so. I currently work in a two-man team, repairing the gas network or replacing and renewing the old gas mains. We also work as a part of an emergency call out rota. I like my job, meeting lots of different people, working outdoors and keeping active. I can work at my own pace, enjoy time off when I need it, and enjoy my home comforts. On a basic working week there is not much of a difference in salary. But overtime is available so, as long as you work the extra hours there can be significantly more money.’