From Professional Rugby Player to Water Safety Expert
Adam's journey to becoming a Contract Manager at TEC is anything but conventional. After pursuing a professional rugby career that took him from Super League to Australia and back again, he discovered a new calling in water safety compliance. Today, he manages major contracts including Keele University while still pursuing his passion for rugby at part-time level for Widnes Vikings - proving that career changes can lead to unexpected success stories.
Adam's TEC Journey
"When I first started, I thought I'd just be taking temperatures. But you see all the legislation behind water safety and you realise how important it is for companies and what responsibility it carries. I started about eight years ago as a water technician engineer on the Knowsley Borough Council contract. I was getting through my work fairly quickly, so with my free time, I started to learning other aspects of the business, like plumbing. It just went from there, really."
The Rugby Connection
His path to TEC began after a successful rugby career.
"I played professional rugby full-time and then went over to Australia for a couple of years. I did a bit of work over there in the water industry, installing stormwater drainage on highways, so I had a bit of water background knowledge, but it's totally different to what we do here."
Starting professional rugby at just 15, Adam played Super League before his Australian adventure and continues to balance his TEC career with part-time rugby.
"At the minute I train two nights a week and on Saturday morning, then play on Sunday. It's a hard balance, but I’m aware it doesn't last forever."
Career Evolution at TEC
Adam's progression through TEC demonstrates the company's commitment to developing technical expertise across multiple disciplines, with each role building comprehensive industry knowledge.
Career Path:
- 2016-2018: Water Technician Engineer - Taking temperature samples and performing compliance tasks on the Owsley Borough Council contract
- 2018-2020: Plumbing Technician - Moved into plumbing work after completing his contract duties
- 2020-2023: Risk Assessment Specialist - Progressed to conducting risk assessments for three years, developing expertise in compliance evaluation
- 2023-Present: Contract Manager - Recently moved to office-based role managing multiple major contracts including Keele University, Regenda Homes, Ribble and Chorley Council, ISS and MediClean
Key Achievements:
- Rapid skill development - Progressed through three technical disciplines before moving into management
- Major contract wins - Recently started managing Keele University, a significant new contract for TEC
- Diverse portfolio - Manages contracts spanning universities, housing associations, councils and government buildings
- Field-to-office expertise - Brings invaluable hands-on experience to contract management decisions
What changes have you witnessed in the water safety industry?
"When I first started, I thought it was just taking temperatures and that's it. But you see all the legislation and case studies behind it, and you understand how important it is for companies' reliability and insurance purposes. You see what responsibility it carries.”
A typical day
"It's a bit mad, but I love it. I keep separate emails and different books for each contractor to help me stay organised. My phone's constantly ringing. I'm still relatively new to this role, so I'm still learning every day. I still get to go out and meet clients face-to-face, which I prefer to Teams meetings. It's more personal and helps build that trust with customers.”
The TEC Culture and Development
"It’s a very accommodating and flexible organisation to work in. They funded my plumbing courses and risk assessing courses, which obviously helped me develop in my roles.”