T Level Electrical Installation student Sophie Hurst from Leicester College has been with us every Thursday since Autumn 2021 for ‘work experience’ as part of her study programme. Sophie’s been attentive and industrious in everything that we been able to give her to do so far and has had opportunity to see what we do in various areas of our business. We’re so pleased that we negotiated some casual ‘work’ over the summer holidays that we’re sure will further extend the positive experience that working in a busy and progressive automation and electrical installations company can provide. As part of our commitment to supporting T-level and the efforts to fill the nationwide skills gap, we sat down together to ask some questions about the experience at Elmleigh so far as well as some fun questions.
Name; Sophie Hurst
School/College; T Level Electrical Installation, Leicester College
What did a typical day for you look like?
A typical day for me is getting to the workshop at seven o’clock getting a coffee then working on the panels me and the technician Chris I’m assigned to have been working on. Then going for a break at about half nine and having a chat and a laugh with all the lads in the breakroom. After break I get back to working on the panels and Chris helps me to understand wiring diagrams and explaining how different components of the panel works.
What do you consider the most interesting activity at Elmleigh?
I really enjoy drilling the holes into the gear plate and into the panels for the handles to go. I also really enjoy watching our panels get picked up by companies and delivered to where they need to go because it’s a whole team effort to get the panel on the Lorry.
What is your favourite thing about the week?
I enjoy the whole week as I am constantly learning. Some weeks I'm in the workshop and some weeks I'm working in the office but wherever I am working I’m learning, and I am connecting with people with different job roles.
What have you learnt about yourself during the week?
I have learned a lot about industrial electronics that I wouldn't have learned at college also, getting hands-on experience with what I am learning. I have also learned how to read simple wiring diagrams and follow the diagrams and place the wires into the panel.
How would you balance a career in industry with your family/personal time?
I would balance it by making sure that holiday is planned and booked off. I would also make sure that I’m working roughly the same amount of hours each day and making sure that I am setting aside time for personal time with family and for myself.
How has Elmleigh helped you in your career aspirations?
Elmleigh has helped me understand that I definitely want to be an electrician and that I enjoy doing it as a job and that I have the potential to do really well in the electrical industry.
If given the chance, who would you want to be for one day only?
If I was given one chance to be whoever I wanted, I think I would like to be someone who is in charge of a business so that I could understand how owning your own business works and I would take all the experience and information I would have gained and use it to have the ability to start my own business after I finish an apprenticeship.
If you were to write a book about yourself, what would you name it?
If I was to write a book about myself, I would name it “Good Decisions”
What three words best describe you?
Three words I think describe me are
- Funny
- Decisive
- Respectful
Thankyou Sophie for your time and your answers! We hope your time here at Elmleigh will help you to progress in your studies and career choices…