In celebration of International Women in Engineering Day (23 June), Alissa Cornish explains her role as a support engineer at Bristan, what inspired her to enter the industry, and why she is encouraging more women to consider a career in engineering
Q: What sparked your interest in engineering?
A: I’ve always had a passion for understanding how things work. I have lots of treasured childhood memories of following my dad around the house, helping him do various bits of DIY, and my interest developed from there. I’m a really practically-minded person and I like a challenge, so choosing a career in engineering was a no-brainer for me.
Q: How did you get into the industry, what sort of training was required?
A: I knew that I wanted to work in the trade, so when I left school I went to college to get the relevant qualifications. I eventually received an EAL Level 2 diploma in Plumbing and Heating, and also qualified in NVQ Level 2 Plumbing and Heating. Once I’d completed my training, I got a job with a local female plumber and started getting as much real-world experience as possible. In my experience though, you never really stop learning when you’re in this line of work!
Q: What does your current role involve?
A: I’m now a Bristan Care Engineer for Bristol and the South West. That means that in the event of any customer issues with in-warranty products, it’s my job to do whatever I can to resolve the problem. I see myself as an ambassador for the business – I’m going into people’s homes and representing the brand, which means that it’s really important for me to be friendly, efficient and knowledgeable.
I love how diverse the work is – I meet new people and face new challenges every day, and the Bristan team is really supportive and nurturing. It helps that I really rate the products too, I take a lot of pride in my work, and it really matters to me that I can respect the quality of the brand I’m supporting.
Q: What does the future hold?
A: At the moment, I’m mostly working on the domestic side of the business, but I’m training to work on commercial projects, too. There’s quite a few scenarios where being a female engineer can be a benefit, for example, working on taps or showers in women’s changing rooms or all-female dormitories – it can help put people at their ease. I’m excited to continue my career at Bristan and grow my experience, there’s plenty of opportunities and I want to make the most of them all!
Q: Is there any advice you’d give to women who are interested in engineering?
A: Just go for it! It’s so important to do what you love, and to push yourself, and if you’ve got a passion for something, why not pursue it? Engineering is still male dominated, but that is changing, and you’ll find huge amounts of support from your fellow female engineers, there’s a really strong sense of community. I’d encourage anyone to look into a career in engineering – I wouldn’t do any other job.
If you'd like to keep up-to-date with the latest developments in the heating and plumbing industry, why not subscribe to our weekly newsletters? Just click the button below and you can ensure all the latest industry news and new product information lands in your inbox every week.