Meet and learn from Joshua Spall – an Apprentice BMS Engineer who has been with learnd for just over two years.
You’ve been with us a couple of years now, how has it been being an Apprentice BMS Engineer from the age of 21?
Its been challenging, motivating and rewarding. Stepping into the industry has been quite a leap from my previous role. I have been working harder, I have more responsibility and I’m learning new things almost every day. As an Apprentice BEMS Engineer, I’ve grown and expanded my knowledge exponentially since the day I started. I’ve found great satisfaction in my daily work and look forward to the future.
You were a trainee with us before the Level 4 BEMS Apprenticeship was launched. Has the formal apprenticeship helped improve your knowledge & skills?
The apprenticeship has expanded on the knowledge I had acquired at the start of my career. We are still in the early stages of the apprenticeship, covering topics I have already been taught on sites; however the later modules that we will be covering are looking to be very educational for me and I am looking forward to them.
Did you attend University before becoming an Apprentice BMS Engineer? If so, what did you study and why did you go on to become a BEMS engineer?
No, I didn’t go to University.
If you didn’t go to university, what attracted you to the BEMS Industry?
Well my first employment was as a Service/Commissioning Engineer for Fire Alarm Systems. My work would have me going through buildings and seeing all the equipment that the BMS would interface with. After a while I found myself questioning how the buildings and all the equipment inside operated together, for the occupants comfort/facilities/wellbeing. After a conversation with a BEMS Engineer about the basics, I found I wanted to learn more. This led to me seeking employment in the industry.
What’s is your favourite part about your job?
Learning new skills as a BEMS Engineer. Being able to apply these skills on sites, through advancement of a client’s BMS.
Do you think there’s anything we or the wider industry can do to encourage more young people to enter the industry?
Advertise Building Management Systems more broadly. Events at colleges to expand awareness of what a BMS is. Until I worked out on a site, I had no idea of what a BMS was.
How are you finding your classroom-based lessons?
Currently we are having to do a lot of lessons via online classes. I look forward to doing a few classroom-based lessons, as this gives me chance to ask further questions to my tutor without the audience of the whole class.
What is a typical day like for you?
A typical day for me is service, maintenance, small integration projects and fault finding. This means I get to see plant issues and how they may be rectified via BMS fixes, or plant repair/replacement. A lot of the integration works involve me learning how to use different software for third party equipment, and integrating this with the main BMS.
Do you have a favourite site or location that your job has taken you to?
ITV Leeds, Emmerdale Studios. This site has lot of work being completed and it’s my primary site to learn/apply new skills.
