From Apprentice to Risk Assessment Specialist
Christopher' journey to becoming a Risk Assessment Specialist at TEC began with an honest conversation and a need for sunlight. After his Scottish Power apprenticeship ended without a permanent position, he found himself "flitting between jobs", winding up working nights in an underground car park, until a friend already working at TEC suggested he give water safety a try. Today, he's an experienced risk assessor who's weathered industry challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic while developing expertise in TEC's innovative remote monitoring technology.
Christopher's TEC Journey
Christopher's path to TEC demonstrates that sometimes the best career moves come from honest conversations about what you need. "I turned up with no experience whatsoever," he recalls. Starting on monitoring duties, taking temperatures around Blackburn, Burnley and St. Helens, he used his first year to learn the fundamentals while keeping an eye on future opportunities.
“I started shadowing my manager, trying to learn what they were looking for, while doing my own job. His progression through TEC shows how dedication and curiosity can accelerate career development, even when starting with no industry experience.
- 2019: Water Monitoring Technician - Taking temperatures and performing compliance monitoring across Lancashire
- 2024: Remote Temperature Monitoring Specialist - Recently started installing and managing TEC's innovative remote monitoring sensors
- Present: Risk Assessment Specialist - Progressed to conducting full risk assessments and supporting senior team members
A Typical Day
"We tend to be out and about three days a week. And then the other two, we're at home writing up the reports. I could have a week where I've got jobs that are no more than half an hour away from me, but then there's weeks where I've got to drive to Glasgow, to Newcastle and the next one's in Birmingham."
"I quite like being out and about and going different places. My last job was very office-based I didn't like being in the same place every day."
What changes have you witnessed in the water safety industry?
"We do still see issues especially with smaller businesses. Even yesterday, I went to a site and I said, can I see any of your records? And he said, we don't have anything.
Christopher is at the forefront of TEC's remote monitoring technology rollout: "There's a lot of clients that we work with that I think it works really well with, especially when they're in remote areas or access can be issues sometimes. Getting those in place would be perfect for them because it solves an awful lot of issues and keeps them a lot more compliant."
The TEC Culture and Support
"It doesn't matter who you ring in the company, they've always got a minute to walk you through something if you have any questions. Christopher particularly credits Wayne, National Risk Assessment Lead: "He's absolutely brilliant, he's got so much time in the day for everyone.”