British Gas employs about 6,000 engineers. Fewer than 60 are women and Julia Baker is the only one in Sussex.

The 36-year-old from Crawley studied mechanical engineering at college for four years and then became a tool maker.

After four years, she became worried about her job security.

She said: "I could see more and more companies were going overseas to have their tools made.

"One of my friends was already working as an engineer for British gas and said it was a job I'd be good at."

She got a place on the 30-week British Gas engineers training course and learnt about gas safety regulations, plumbing and servicing.

Julia said: "The course was very intensive because you have three years of work to get done in fewer than eight months. I've always been a very practical person and enjoyed fixing things but you also have to be determined to succeed."

She then spent about two months with an experienced engineer, doing the work with their help and advice.

She has worked on her own since last October, based at home with a laptop which she uses to access her online work schedule, which is updated throughout the day, and any documents she needs.

There were a couple of other women training to become gas engineers but she was the only one in her class.

She said: "When I was at college I was the only woman and surrounded by younger men. I got a lot of stick at first but I gave back as good as I got and the teasing didn't last long.

"I didn't really get any stick on the British Gas course - we were all just there to learn.

"The job is as much about customer relations as anything else. I visit a lot of people for whom I'm the only contact they will have all week. They might have a problem but you often find a little chat will allay their fears."

Her 17-year-old daughter is studying to be a veterinary nurse.

Julia said: "She's studying hard but has already asked if she can become an engineer if things don't work out."

British Gas, which is facing a skills shortfall, is encouraging more women, ethnic minorities and older workers to become engineers.

Spokeswoman Claire Monaghan said: "We're trying very hard to get more women into the industry through modern apprenticeships and the like - at the moment it really is a drop in the ocean.

"The industry is male dominated and the workface is ageing fast so we're trying to entice women to join us, alongside other groups that haven't been well represented in the past.

"We're keen to get to young women before they make their GCSE choices, making sure they know there is a career path for them.

"They don't have to be technical experts but women have had a lot of success studying science and if they're interested and motivated we can help them build on that and develop new skills.

"We can also offer flexible working, which is often important because of family issues, up to a year of maternity leave and childcare vouchers.

"We're facing a shortage of people needed to cater for customer demand. The other thing is women are a massive benefit to the workforce and have a whole range of knowledge, experience and people skills."

There are two main routes to becoming a gas engineer - a modern apprenticeship scheme for 17 to 23-year-olds, which will take them to full service engineer level (NVQ 3), and adult recruits (older than 24), who are initially trained to service fitter level.

After a minimum of six months at service fitter level, training can then be offered to progress to NVQ 3.

Tuesday July 22, 2003