Tell us about your day job

I work on shift in the control room of a nuclear power station looking after one of the reactors and its steam turbine. The good thing about it is that you cannot take your work home with you.

How long have you been in Prospect and why was it important for you to join a trade union?

I joined Prospect in 2012 when I started my first permanent role in EDF Energy. At the time I was changing contracts and pension schemes and was totally lost as to what forms to fill out and was having difficulties getting everything sorted.

Luckily I had a rep in my department who was able to help me and point me in the right direction. Union membership is about more than having someone there on the darkest days but also about having a friendly face making suggestions and a network to talk to.

What’s your proudest moment so far as a Prospect member or rep?

I’ve had several!

Speaking at National Conference in 2016 was a great experience, especially because I am nervous of public speaking, and going to Parliament with Prospect last year is also a special memory.

My absolute proudest however has been having colleagues within EDF Energy come up to me and say that they have seen how I’ve progressed over the past few years and that I have done well.

How has Prospect been of benefit to you in your career and professional development?

Networking with the wider Prospect membership has been extremely helpful. Meeting with the rest of the Energy Supply Industry sector has been eye opening with regards to identifying common issues we are facing in technical challenges which I can discuss in my own workplace.

As well as this I have attended a range of courses, which have been beneficial to me.

Why did you decide to stand for the NEC?

I stood for the NEC because someone suggested I try, and after thinking about it I realised I wanted to help members even more.

What are of some of the workplace issues that you hope to make a difference on as part of the NEC?

With the apprentice levy there has been an expansion in companies offering apprenticeships but it needs to be carefully monitored to ensure that the apprenticeships are going to be of long-term value to the apprentices, as well as to employers, and that it is not a way to dodge paying higher salaries.

As a member of the NEC, how will you approach some of the difficult decisions that might pit the interests of close colleagues in your own sector against the greater good of the whole union?

Honestly, I do not know. The good thing about being in a union is that we do all work together for the betterment of everyone but there is a risk of conflict.

What’s your message to a colleague who is perhaps reluctant to join a union?

I’ve only heard two unique reasons to not join a union.

First. is the cost to them versus any benefit, not just cost in fees but also fear of career detriment, which can usually be talked through.

The second is personal politics, which can be covered with a healthy debate about modern unions. I wish I could say that there is a magic answer to persuade people.

What are the best and worst things about attending Prospect National Conference?

Best is definitely meeting a wide range of people from different backgrounds. There are not many places you will get an engineer who works in a dock discussing unconscious bias with someone who works in a historical museum.

The worst is that it can be quite intense and finding a quiet moment to gather your thoughts can be difficult.

Tell us something about yourself that maybe even some of your colleagues wouldn’t know...

I am a massive fan of gardening. I am a member of the Royal Horticultural Society; I have a subscription to Gardeners’ World magazine; I listen religiously to Gardeners’ Question Time; and I watch Gardeners’ World on TV.