It will come as no surprise that the water industry, among others, needs to create more equal opportunities. The fact remains we are in a situation where, while things are improving, much more needs to be done to achieve equality of opportunity for all, whatever their personal characteristics or backgrounds, not just on the grounds of gender.
Essex & Suffolk Water, who already have a female Chief Executive, four other women Directors in the company, are now starting to see young women join them in roles such as maintenance and project management.
Lauren Thompson, Process Technician for Essex & Suffolk Water said, “I was fresh out of A Levels 5 years ago and looking for a science based apprenticeship in the Suffolk area, I saw this and went for it. You’ve got as good a chance as anyone when applying for a role, so why not give it a go. There is definitely more opportunities to work out on site with this role which is an aspect I really enjoy.
My advice for other women looking to apply is, go for it! Women are certainly becoming more prominent in the industry but we are lacking in technical roles filled by women, so that would be really good to see in the future.”
In Essex & Suffolk Water’s latest plans sent to water regulator Ofwat, their goals for resilience included targets such as improving dispatch scheduling, as well as reducing their leakage in Essex, Suffolk and East London by 17.5%. The company has seen an uptake of young women applying for these technician roles and workforce diversity can really help build business resilience.
University graduate Rebecca Golding who started three months ago as a Leakage Technician for Essex & Suffolk Water said “The role as a leakage technician really embodies the heart of the business in terms of reducing the amount of leakage we have. This role really appealed to me in terms of my environmental background for water conservation.
“With all the challenges that the company faces, as a leakage technician, you are there at the forefront, helping to reduce those leaks and ensuring we supply customers with the water they need”
Ross Beckwith, Customer Field Services Manager said, “Diversity is very close to my heart, it has been fantastic to see that we now have a growing number of female technicians like Lauren and Rebecca working in our operating areas. However, there is still plenty to do to make water an attractive career option for a diverse workforce.”
So whether you’re just starting out on your career and are not sure what you want to do or are already an expert in your chosen area then visit www.eswater.co.uk/careers today.
