SELECT, the trade body for electrical professionals in Scotland, has welcomed a small but significant upturn in the number of young women undergoing apprenticeships as electricians. Figures gathered by Scotland’s largest trade association show that there are now 13 female apprentices training to be electricians in 2019-2020, compared to seven
There are many details that need to be considered when setting up a home office. The room itself is very important, as are the desk and chair. Other utility items that help you do your job are next in line for consideration. Another important factor for a functional home office
SELECT, the trade body for electrical professionals in Scotland, has welcomed a small but significant upturn in the number of young women undergoing apprenticeships as electricians. Figures gathered by Scotland’s largest trade association show that there are now 13 female apprentices training to be electricians in 2019-2020, compared to seven in 2018-2019. Fiona Harper, Director of Employment and Skills at SELECT, said: “This is excellent news, coming as it does in Scottish Apprenticeship Week, which runs from 2 to 6 March. “An electrical apprenticeship for a young woman, just as for everyone else, is a life-changing experience which can open many doors, not only to further career progression and global travel, but also to professional regard and life fulfilment.” To mark the occasion, SELECT has commissioned a short film, The Power of Apprenticeships, which features an interview at a member company in Falkirk with one of its female apprentices, Neave Brownlie. The TClarke trainee says: “I finished school and could have gone to uni, but I preferred the idea of being paid while I was learning to become a qualified electrician. “I’m enjoying it; you’re never left alone on site, there’s always someone there supporting you and making sure you are safe. I’m treated like a daughter or a sister and everyone I’ve worked with has been lovely. “The exciting thing is the opportunity to travel the world once I have completed my apprenticeship and become a qualified electrician.” The Power of Apprenticeships also features another TClarke employee, Elyse McBride, a qualified electrician who is now office-based and is training to become a quantity surveyor. Elyse – a former SJIB Apprentice of the Year finalist in the SELECT Awards – said: “Completing an apprenticeship as an electrician was fundamental to me moving into a managerial role. “There are any number of different paths that can be followed as a qualified electrician, and the career world is your oyster.” Filmed at TClarke in Falkirk, and now available to view on SELECT’s YouTube channel, the video was produced in partnership with the Scottish Joint Industry Board (SJIB), the Scottish Electrical Charitable Training Trust (SECTT) and Unite the Union. Ms Harper, who is also The Secretary of the SJIB, added: “There is a world of opportunity for young women in the electrical sector and with this film we hope to encourage many more of them, currently in school or college, to consider an electrical apprenticeship as a serious career option.” Founded in 1900, SELECT is Scotland’s largest trade association. It has nearly 1,250 members businesses with a collective turnover of approximately £1bn, employing more than 15,000 people and 3,500 apprentices. SELECT also delivers training courses to more than 3,500 electricians each year and is committed to regulation of the industry for a safer Scotland. The Scottish Joint Industry Board was founded in 1969 by SELECT and Unite the Union.
There are many details that need to be considered when setting up a home office. The room itself is very important, as are the desk and chair. Other utility items that help you do your job are next in line for consideration. Another important factor for a functional home office is the lighting. Unfortunately, many people forget this aspect and often times invest in good lighting way too late. Poor lighting can cause eyestrain and headaches, which often leads to tiredness. Here are some of the best tips that will make your home office lighting enjoyable and keep you in a more productive mood. Every room is different Before you start installing your lighting, you need to evaluate the space. Start by tracking the natural light during the day in order to determine which areas are already getting enough sunlight and which areas need your assistance. The position of the furniture in the room will have a huge impact on your decision as well. Try to keep the areas where you spend the most time well lit. If necessary, don’t hesitate to move some furniture around. If you have especially big windows and/or are simply positioned in a way that you get too much sunlight, you should also consider putting up curtains. The goal is to find the perfect balance of light that will make you feel comfortable. Explore, enjoy, and let your imagination run wild with the amazing style of custom neon lights to your home with the help of Echo Neon Studio. Avoid direct lighting While you need to ensure that the area you work in is well lit, you should try to avoid direct lighting. The goal is to diffuse the light in order to keep it warm, but still bright enough to see. This is by no means an easy task and you should experiment around until you figure out what suits you best. Try moving around a few different light sources until you get the best results. A good way to avoid direct lighting is by opting to use lighting sources like desk lamps that can illuminate your desk without shining it directly into your face. Hire a professional Designing your lighting is just one part of the job. The second part is actually installing it. When it comes to electrical work, it’s always best to have a professional do it. Installing all the cables and lights is much harder than it looks and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Badly installed lighting can also cause electrical fires, which is one more reason to consider a professional. In Australia, such matters are taken seriously and there are very strict laws when it comes to electrical work. A professional electrician in Sydney is therefore always the best solution when it comes to lighting installation. Professionals often end up costing less in the long run as they get the job done faster and with more efficient materials and tools. Natural lighting should be a priority Natural light is very unique and offers a variety of advantages over artificial light sources. Natural light is much warmer and healthier for the body. In order to keep up a positive mood, people need to spend at least some time in the sunlight every day. Natural light is also vital for vitamin D production. Because of that, you should always make use of the natural sunlight available in the home office. The desk should be moved to a position where it’s exposed to natural light as much as possible during the day. Just try to avoid the light hitting a direct angle on your monitor. The best solution is for the light source to be next to your work surface. Consider decorative lighting The light purpose shouldn’t be only as a practical means of making things visible. Light can also be decorative and help set the mood of your home office. Consider installing smaller lighting sources that won’t have a huge impact on the visibility, but instead serve as decoration. There are many decorative lights that can be bought in shops and you should pick a few that best fit your style. Proper lighting plays a vital role in every office, including the one at home. Bad light will not only slow you down, but can also have a negative effect on your health. Use the tips above to experiment with light and figure out which solutions provide you with the optimal working conditions. There are many decorative lights that can be bought in shops and you should pick a few that best fit your style. One of the options that are often considered as a vintage accent point in the workplace is Neon lights, as they will bring a piece of that old business vibe you might need on boring days, another advantage of using them is the LED Neon lights durability. New lighting designs have been adjusted to LED technology, resulting in a remarkable improvement in affordability and energy saving. These are also safe options for use in the house since there is no breakable glass in them.
