Aquatrust inspires Plumbing students to explore careers in water hygiene 

Our Level 3 Plumbing students got an insight of where their skills could take them, through an informal discussion from local water hygiene specialists, Aquatrust. 

The students heard from Aquatrust Operations Director JayJay Pickles and Risk Assessor Alex Denham, who shared their experiences of working in the industry and introduced students to the range of career opportunities available within water hygiene and Legionella control. 

The session gave students the chance to step away from their usual classroom learning and hear directly from industry professionals to discover a side of Plumbing they may not have considered before. 

Level 3 Plumbing student, Mohammed, said: “I found it really informative and helpful. It sounds like something that I’d want to do. 

“What stood out to me was the way they help people who genuinely need it, especially older and more vulnerable people who are more at risk.” 

Fellow student, Aidan, added: “They’re taking the risk out of something that’s essential, so you don’t have to worry about it.” 

Building pathways into industry 

The visit formed part of a developing relationship between Bradford College and Aquatrust, with the company already supporting one of its employees studying for a Level 2 Plumbing qualification at the College. 

JayJay said: “Our initial conversation with Bradford College has always been: what can we do for them and what can they do for us? 

“We focus on the right people, the right attitudes and the right values. If they’ve got that baseline understanding of Plumbing, it gives them a bit of a head start when coming into our business.” 

For Level 3 Plumbing student and Student Ambassador, Thomas, hearing about those opportunities was one of the biggest takeaways from the session. 

He said: “I liked the way they spoke about the careers because you’re learning on a proper pathway. You’ve got the chance to progress somewhere rather than having to go somewhere else to do it.” 

Curriculum Team Leader, Ben Houlbrook added:  

“Partnerships with employers such as Aquatrust are invaluable to the success of our students. By brining industry experts into the classroom, our students gain first-hand knowledge of current practices, develop a deeper understanding of the specialist areas. 

We are proud to work alongside Aquatrust and look forward to continuing our collaboration to support to support the next generation of skilled professionals” 

Bringing the classroom and workplace together 

For Aquatrust, giving young people access to industry experience is just as important as talking to them about potential careers. 

After speaking with our students about their studies, JayJay highlighted the importance employers can play in helping young people put their technical knowledge into practice. 

He said: “Work experience is essential. From what we’ve picked up from the students today, they’re getting the theory, but it’s the experience they need more of. 

“I think our duty is to try and deliver on that, especially with those individuals where you can see the enthusiasm and that they want a career in this.” 

And that enthusiasm was clear to see. 

Within just a couple of hours, several students had already approached JayJay and Alex to find out more about starting a career within the industry and at Aquatrust. 

Alex said: “We’ve already had some students approach us asking, ‘When can I start?’ 

“It proves that these young people are eager to get started. It’s about helping them take what they’re studying at college and drive it towards a career.” 

Coming full circle 

For Alex, the visit also marked a return to familiar surroundings. 

Before beginning his career and becoming a Risk Assessor at AquaTrust, Alex studied at Bradford College between 2001 and 2003 in Public Service Management. 

More than 20 years later, he was back but this time helping our current students think about where their own qualifications could take them. 

JayJay was also impressed by the response from the students throughout the workshop and how those keen individuals asked questions. 

He added: “We had 16 or 17 students all engaged, focused and asking questions. Credit to Bradford College because they’ve clearly done well with them as students. 

“The majority participated, they were focused and I really enjoyed it.” 

Bradford College offers Plumbing courses from Level 1 through to Level 3, alongside other Mutli-trade courses within the Construction industry.