A plumbing apprentice from West Nottinghamshire College has been awarded a £1,000 bursary worth of professional tools to support her early career in the trade.
Jessica with her prizes from Monument Tools.
Jessica Black, 28, from Bilborough, Notitngham, who is currently completing her plumbing apprenticeship while working for Nottingham City Council, received the bursary from the Worshipful Company of Plumbers.
The award is funded through sponsorship from British manufacturer Monument Tools.
The bursary provides apprentice plumbers with up to £1,000 worth of professional equipment, helping them build their personal toolkits as they progress in the industry.
Each year, up to six apprentices across the UK are selected for the award after completing a written application outlining their background, their trade experience and why they chose a career in plumbing.
Jessica, who previously worked as a plasterer and also has joinery experience, decided to retrain after being made redundant.
She said: “Originally, I was a plasterer and I also did joinery. When I was made redundant, the opportunity came up to start a plumbing apprenticeship and I thought I may as well go for it and become an all-rounder. I’m hoping to complete my plumbing qualification this year and then move on to the gas pathway.”
Jessica, who works primarily in domestic and social housing across Nottingham city, says the new tools will be used regularly in her day-to-day work.
The bursary scheme supports apprentices who are completing their Level 2 or Level 3 plumbing qualification, or an equivalent course, and who would benefit from financial assistance as they begin their careers in the trade.
The awards are made possible through sponsorship from Monument Tools, one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of professional plumbing tools. The Monument brand is more than 90 years old and the company, still owned and managed by the Collier family in its fifth generation, produces equipment ranging from small pipe cutters to specialist manhole cover lifters.
Jessica’s tutor Lee Ryalls praised her commitment to learning and strong work ethic. He said: “Jessica’s attitude to learning and her attendance at college are fantastic. She sometimes doubts her own ability, but when it comes to assessments she always performs extremely well. The results speak for themselves.”
Jessica is expected to complete the plumbing stage of her apprenticeship this year before progressing onto a gas qualification as part of her training.
Today is World Plumbing Day (11 March). Set up by the World Plumbing Council in 2010, the day recognises how plumbing creates a global network of skilled professionals, pipes, and standards that connect people everywhere to health, opportunity, and each other.