The place to be an engineer

I always had a passion for engineering but I was unsure how to upskill myself to move into that field. When a management role came up via our Gender balance ERG I felt empowered to go for it and I’m so glad I did!

I think one of my key strengths is my ability to bridge the gap between technical expertise and effective management. Whilst I don’t have a traditional engineering background I quickly familiarised myself with the more technical element of the role and I feel I have become a true advocate for my team.

If you are a women thinking about entering the technical field I would say go for it, ISS will support you every step of the way!

At school I was always drawn to the diversity in engineering, with so many professions and career opportunities spanning many industries. My first role after graduating in 2004 was as a mechanical design engineer for a building services design business. I worked in engineering consultancy roles before taking my skills into the FM arena in 2010.

For the past 14 years I have worked in technical FM roles, gaining a broad understanding of the industry. My journey has been enriched by exposure to different aspects of the built environment, and the skills of the people that bring our workplaces to life.

Currently I’m responsible for the Technical Governance and Assurance framework, and the technical services delivery model for UK&I.

We have a very ‘can do’ attitude within our technical operations teams, working in partnership to meet the ever-changing needs of our customers. The integrated services culture within ISS is very strong with engineering teams working collaboratively with other service lines to consistently deliver a great customer experience.

I enrolled for the Level 6 Building Services Engineering Degree Apprenticeship to support both my personal growth and my long‑term contribution to ISS. Having developed a strong technical foundation through my electrical qualifications, I am now looking to expand my expertise beyond a single discipline. ISS operates across a wide range of complex, integrated buildings and facilities, and I want to be equipped to support the business across all building services engineering functions not just electrical.

Using the apprenticeship levy to invest in my development is a valuable opportunity, enabling me to gain a degree‑level qualification while continuing to deliver for ISS. This programme will strengthen my understanding of mechanical, electrical, and public health systems, giving me a much broader capability to support ISS’s integrated facilities management model and the diverse needs of our clients.

ISS places a strong emphasis on innovation, data‑driven solutions, and the use of modern digital tools to enhance building performance, efficiency, and sustainability. The degree apprenticeship aligns perfectly with this direction. It will give me the advanced knowledge and digital engineering skills needed to support ISS’s commitment to intelligent buildings, including areas such as BIM, smart asset management, and technology‑enabled service delivery.

I joined ISS in 2017 as a Mobile Electrical Engineer. Six months in I was offered a team leader role where I worked closely with sector managers and engineers, this gave me insight into engineering management which has been my ambition since my apprenticeship. In 2022, I was promoted again, into my current operational management role.

My team are very Health & Safety focussed and we want to do the best job for the client. Although some of my team are 150 miles apart, we pull together to ensure we complete the job to a high standard, whilst making sure everyone gets home safe.

I think my key skills are my motivation and drive and I’ve never left a job that I felt wasn’t up to standard. I like to have input in anything I’m involved in and that’s been vital in building a bond with my team, many who I used to be on the frontline with. They know my knowledge and skills transfer to supporting them as a manager.

Prior to ISS, I worked in finance, but I realised I thrive in a more practical environment. I had experience working on construction sites so decided to explore the electrical engineering field I decided upon the apprenticeship route as this would give me an opportunity to earn and learn at the same time, as well as practice my new skills in a real workplace – this is my favourite part about the apprenticeship.

At the start of my apprenticeship I had zero electrical skills, I’m now a year into my four year programme and can safely say I feel confident in my ability. So far I’ve covered health and safety and electrical design. I attend college 1 day per week and find the balance of work days and college days easy. I enjoy the college days as I attend with a number of other ISS apprentices and the tutor is great, however my favourite part of the week is coming back into the workplace to carry out what I’ve learnt.

My supervisory engineer gives me autonomy to carry out tasks under his supervision, and is always willing to support my learning. I enjoy working in a mobile role as I’m able to experience a variety of different client sites.

After completing my electrical engineering in Italy, I moved to the UK and continued studying to work as electrical engineer in the UK. I started my career as an electrical and mechanical maintenance engineer and have worked as an Electrical engineer for ISS for the past 8 years. 

After recently completing my air conditioning diploma, I am now also involved as an air conditioning engineer.  

In my current role, I am responsible for installing new equipment, maintaining, testing inspection and repairing equipment and machinery. This can include general maintenance, troubleshooting, preventive maintenance, repairs and installation of new equipment. I also supervise engineers working at height and working on hot works on site. 

My inspiration to pursue a career in engineering was my Dad. We are very close and he loves technology, he told me if I study electrical and mechanical principals, I could work in engineering. 

ISS have been incredibly supportive of me and my managers both past and present saw something in me and gave me opportunities, offered training to improve my skill and made me more employable, they constantly gave me different challenges to broaden my skills and experience. 

There is a collective mindset in our amazing engineering team which includes concepts like sharing values, techniques, and beliefs and using our individual knowledge to help each other. Although the individuals who make up the engineering team contribute to the culture and strive to deliver the best service to our customers, we also regularly talk to each other and meet to resolve problems and share knowledge.   

I think the skills and qualities that have helped in my success are ambition to grow and progress, dedication and giving my time, effort and commitment to the business, I am  passionate about my profession which helps me maintain the amount of effort it takes to accomplish my duties, I am a patient person and identify the most effective way to respond to challenges at work and think of alternative ways to solve problems, I am always willing to learn new skills and I like to think positively and constructively during challenging situations. 

At ISS, innovation drives our products and services, but our top priority is the health, safety, and wellbeing of our engineers in the workplace – because when our engineers thrive, so do our customers.

ISS have been incredibly supportive of me and my managers both past and present saw something in me and gave me opportunities, offered training to improve my skill and made me more employable, they constantly gave me different challenges to broaden my skills and experience.