Plumbing student swoops top prize

Waltham Forest College, plumbing student Emre Gunes has secured the winning spot in the Plumbing Centre of Excellence Annual Young Engineers Competition this year.

Ranging from entries from the Society of Public Health Engineers (SoPHE)’s young engineers and college students from other London institutions, 35 learners engaged in a 6-hour long competition and performed competition tasks themed around plumbing problem-solving and practical fault-finding of plumbing installations. Other areas they were assessed on included:

• Faulting techniques
• Ability to follow instruction
• Enthusiasm
• Willingness to learn new skills quickly
• A sharp mind and can-do attitude. 

The competition serves as a superb reminder of the importance of collaboration between different individuals, companies and institutions, displaying what can be achieved when teamwork is at the forefront of every action.

Emre emerged victorious and swooped the number one spot with such an outstanding example of what can be achieved when studying at Waltham Forest College.

He commented – “I was shocked to receive the news that I had won the competition! My tutor, Rennie, encouraged me to take part after seeing my skills and performance in my practical assessment at college. I decided to utilise my knowledge and experience gained whilst studying at the College, which gave me the confidence I needed to thrive in the competition.”

Tasked with fixing leaking pipes, installing household fixtures such as sinks, showers and toilets, repairing or replacing water heaters and water conditioning equipment, and conducting lawn sprinkler system maintenance, the life of a plumber can be more varied than most people imagine. Working in various settings and often on call at all hours for situations such as leaks or pipe bursts that require immediate attention, those in the plumbing industry are responsible for keeping our homes ticking over and being dependable in an emergency.

Plumbing lecturer Rennie Llewellyn said “Waltham Forest College is ranked top 3 general Further Education in London and we are incredibly proud of the hard work and commitment of all our learners. I am extremely pleased with Emre’s outcome and excited to be part of his emerging bright career”.

Waltham Forest College was announced as a WorldSkills UK Centre of Excellence and continues to deliver an innovative curriculum, that serves London’s industries.