From work placement, to senior position and now 1st Class Honours Degree

Whether it’s pricing projects, ordering equipment and organising engineers to be on site at the crack of dawn, it’s all in a day’s work for air cool engineering NI’s Senior Estimator, Louise Martin. However, rewind back to 2008, and life and work for Louise were very different. Read on to find out how a work placement fourteen years ago, inspired Louise to climb the career ladder and achieve a 1st Class Honours Degree.

In the beginning….

Louise, with two young children, signed up to the Government’s Lone Parent Programme. As part of this employability initiative, Louise had to complete a six month work placement. Armed with 9 GCSEs, no work experience or clear career ambitions, Louise was ‘placed’ as a General Admin Assistant with Limavady based heating, ventilation and air conditioning contractor air cool engineering NI.

In 2008, Louise was in 6 month work placement with air cool engineering NI. Over the last 14 years she has climbed the career ladder to Senior Estimator and recently, achieved 1st Class BEng Honours Degree in Building Services and Sustainable Energy

Grow your own talent

Martin Mullan, Managing Director for air cool engineering NI said:

“air cool engineering NI has always been passionate about ‘growing our own talent’ from within the business. Louise was placed with us not knowing what career path to follow. The six month work placement was the perfect gateway into a career in the HVAC sector for Louise.”

During Louise’s six month placement she experienced work in a number of departments. At the end of her work placement, air cool engineering NI offered Louise a permanent position in the Estimating, Design & Construction Department.

Louise said: “From my very first day with air cool engineering NI, I was encouraged, supported and even challenged to expand my skill set and advance my studies.”

Investing in our staff futureproofs the business

In 2010, air cool engineering NI encouraged Louise to study part-time for a Foundation Degree in Building Services and Renewable Energy at the South West College. In 2020, the business further supported Louise to continue her studies and by June 2022, she achieved a 1st Class BEng Honours Degree in Building Services and Sustainable Energy.

Louise said: “The degree was aligned to my job, enabling me to focus on live projects, and gain a deeper understanding of the global need for all businesses to prioritise sustainability and actively play their part in reducing energy consumption.”

Martin Mullan continued

“As a business we have a great opportunity to inspire and shape our workforce according to our needs, and to train them to plug specific skills and experience gaps. Ongoing investment in my staff futureproofs the business.

I’m very proud of Louise’s continued commitment and contribution to the business. She has achieved so much over the last 14 years, and has actively inspired others to develop personally, professionally and academically. The Cool Team are all very proud of Louise achieving her 1st Class Honours Degree.”