At the heart of Energy & Environment Awards is a dedicated community of highly skilled assessors. They bring years of industry experience, technical expertise and a commitment to developing the next generation of talent.
Our assessors play a vital role in upholding the quality and integrity of our End-Point Assessments (EPA), ensuring apprentices are fully prepared for their careers in safety critical and technical roles.
In this interview, we hear from one of our assessors about their journey, their motivations and what they enjoy most about the role.
1. Tell us a little about your background; what did you want to grow up to be when you were in school?
My background is mainly operational in the gas industry. I left school at 16 to start an apprenticeship with SGN. After 20 years of working on the tools, I moved into management, progressing into senior management and director roles with contractors. I eventually decided to go freelance, carrying out consultancy work, training, assessing, and writing and authorising RO/NROs.
When I was younger, I wanted to be an electrician, as that was my dad’s trade. But I took the job offer with SGN, and I’ve never regretted it.
2. What first made you think about becoming an assessor, and what do you enjoy most about it?
Throughout my years in management, while completing various courses, I always felt that training would suit me. Once I moved into training, assessing became a natural progression.
I really enjoy meeting new people at the training centres, from trainers and support staff to the candidates and apprentices themselves.
3. What are the best parts of doing assessment work?
One of the most rewarding aspects is feeling like you’re playing a part in the progression of apprentices and, ultimately, the gas. Delivering EPA compliance is crucial to ensuring candidates are well prepared for their operational careers, and it’s satisfying to contribute to that journey.
4. What aspects of the work do you find challenging?
Travel can be challenging at times, especially living in Scotland and often travelling to the south of England. But there are positives too: I get to see towns and cities I wouldn’t normally visit.
There’s also a significant amount of time involved in completing reports but providing Energy & Environment Awards and the IQA team with accurate, detailed information is essential for quality assurance and audit purposes, so it’s a necessary part of the job.
5. What advice would you give to someone thinking about becoming an assessor?
If you have strong industry knowledge and good communication skills, this role could be a great fit. It’s a brilliant way to use the experience you’ve built over the years to help bring competent, confident operatives into the workforce.
6. Is there anything else you would like to say about working as an assessor for Energy & Environment Awards?
Just that Energy & Environment Awards is a fantastic organisation to work with. Even though I’m freelance, they’ve actively supported me in progressing my IQA qualification, providing an induction on policies and processes and giving me assessments to IQA.
A big shout out to Brenda Soar and Denise Thomson for their support!
