The Post: Mechanical & Electrical Field Manager, NI Water
The Post Holder: Ivor Shaw
No two days are ever the same for NI Water engineer Ivor Shaw.
Give a brief outline of your career to date.
After secondary school I decided I wanted to be an electrician so I studied as an apprentice and got great experience completing electrical installations in houses, on farms and in small commercial premises. I then went on to work for a large mechanical and electrical contractor, which included fitting out large high street shops all over the UK and Ireland such as Castlecourt Shopping Centre. When I qualified as an approved electrical and mechanical engineer I decided to become self-employed and worked across many major projects such as the Odyssey Arena, and the interconnector between Northern Ireland and Scotland.
I developed a strong interest in control and automation projects so I started working for a local company working on some NI Water projects and later becoming an Instrument, Control and Automation (ICA) technician for a few years. When the same post became available with NI Water I applied and got the job. I’ve been here for six years now and the opportunities for career progression have been fantastic. NI Water supported me with lots of training and development opportunities and as a result I’ve enjoyed several roles across the business.
We’ve just launched a recruitment campaign for electricians to join the company’s new Accelerated Craft Electrician Programme, and we’re excited to be welcoming new talent to the team.
What was your favourite subject at school?
I had two favourite subjects at school – Technology and Physical Education
Did you go on to further/higher education, if so what did you study and where?
I completed a four-year apprenticeship in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering at Farm Lodge Technical College and Ballymena Training Centre.
How did you get into your area of work?
My older brother was an electrician and gave me a good contact to start my electrical journey.
Is this what you always wanted to do?
Yes, from an early age I was always interested in mechanical and electrical so I decided the electrical industry was for me.
Were there any particular essential qualifications or experience needed?
The essential qualifications when I was starting out were to have GCSE English and Maths.
Are there alternative routes into the job?
Yes, there are many routes into the electrical industry. Some people start off as general labourers, and if they show interest in progressing they can do shorter technical training courses due to their onsite tutoring by qualified electricians and experience. Others start off in factories as part of a maintenance team where they can do training and courses to allow them to achieve their end goal of becoming maintenance or installation engineers.
What are the main personal skills your job requires?
The mechanical and electrical function within NI Water is very busy area as we are responsible for looking after a vast range of assets to ensure they are running safely and efficiently. Good communication skills are essential in this role to keep your team and customers informed of job progression and completion. An important skill in this role is the ability to diagnose and repair faults so good problem-solving skills are essential.
What does a typical day entail?
Every day is different! Some days you might be working on reactive jobs, responding to minor and critical jobs in one of our assets whereas on other days you might be carrying out preventive maintenance with the stunning views of Giants Causeway as your backdrop.
What are the best and most challenging aspects of the job?
The best part of the job as an NI Water electrician is the vast range of assets you get to work on and the variety of work, from fixing a light switch to fitting the latest in pump and motor control centres, including complex Variable Speed Drives and Simocodes for speed, overload and thermal protection. Every day brings a new challenge which is exciting and rewarding.
Why is what you do important?
Being an NI Water electrician is very important as our role is essential to ensure the safe and efficient operation of all electrical installations and assets in our water and wastewater networks, right across Northern Ireland, so that we can continue to deliver the water that we all rely on to thrive, right across our community.
What advice would you give anyone looking to follow a similar career path?
My advice would be to go for it! The electrical industry can be a very rewarding and enjoyable career. We are actually recruiting for ten positions across Northern Ireland at the minute. These are great opportunities for suitably qualified electricians to join our Accelerated Craft Electrician Programme. They will have the opportunity to join an expert team, to benefit from full training and access to new and exciting technology, and to develop their skills and a unique and rewarding career as enhanced craft grade electricians.
NI Water is a first-class employer and a really interesting place to work, learn and develop a long-term, rewarding career. There are so many different opportunities available for electricians. For example, you could move into Instrument, Control and Automation (ICA) and even management. If I can do it anyone can.
If you weren’t doing this what would you like to do?
Presenting Top Gear or a Test Rider for Honda UK motorcycles!
What is the one piece of advice you would give to yourself on your first day?
Be on time, present yourself in a tidy and professional manor, be courteous, respect those who have been there and done it all before because they’re the ones you will learn the most from. Above all else, a good sense of humour will take you a long way.
Describe your ideal day off.
My ideal day off would be getting out on the coast road on the motorbike with good friends, a hearty lunch in a country pub and to round it off Ireland beating England at the rugby.
And finally, what’s the key to any successful job search?
I personally have found that establishing good relationships with every company you work for and the people within it is the most important way of keeping you in the know for potential job opportunities.
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