This page was updated on Wednesday, 19th November 2008, 10:53 GMT
Another Successful Conference
The Sustainable Careers conference, organised by the CIPHE’s Women in Plumbing and Heating Group and sponsored by PTS, took place at the Union Jack Club in London on 13th November.
Claire Curtis-Thomas MP proved to be an inspirational speaker. This was the fourth time that she has been a speaker at the conference and delegates gave her an enthusiastic welcome back. She began her talk by congratulating the Institute on its chartered status and went on to talk about how she thinks the recession will impact on livelihoods in the future.
Mick Magon, Business Development Director at PTS spoke of the growing demand for sustainable products. He said that all manufacturers are looking to make their products more energy or water efficient. PTS has opened a renewables branch in Aylesford, which he said is showcasing a number of green technologies.
The audience identified with Kate Churchill, a working plumber for over 25 years. Kate talked about how she keeps up-to-date with the new products coming on to the market and emphasized the need for professional development. A number of anecdotal stories left delegates with smiles on their faces.
Alan Sims, Technical Services Manager at Ideal Boilers, was the final speaker of the day. Alan summed up the benefits and disadvantages of different renewable technologies. His comprehensive presentation was greeted with enthusiasm.
Delegates also had a choice of workshops to attend in the morning and afternoon. Expert witness, Colin Topp, gave an impressive talk on managing customer relations. Carole Willsher from British Gas encouraged delegates to take part in role play for her session on interview techniques. Dennis Clow (Grundfos) and Martyn Bridges (Worcester, Bosch Group) gave a joint presentation on sustainable products.
CIPHE National President, Colin Stainer, closed the conference by saying how impressed he had been by the content of the conference and with the questions and responses given.
Conference Chairwoman, Barbara Field said afterwards: “Delegates have been coming up to me to say how much they have enjoyed the day. It’s great to know that all the hard work that has gone into preparing for this event has been appreciated.”
ENDS (335 WORDS)
NOVEMBER 2008
