BEAU BOLAN - ECO4 Administrator and Modeller

Beau is based in Blackburn, Lancashire, and works for Retrofit Renewables Ltd.

When she left school, Beau had no idea what industry she wanted to work in, so she decided to give Business Administration a go. Beau went through ‘Training 2000’, and was found a two-week work placement at Retrofit Renewables. She really enjoyed the placement, and at the end of it was offered an Apprenticeship, which she accepted. That’s how Beau’s journey into the green sector began.

Whilst Beau has only ever worked in the green sector, in the beginning she really did have to find her own way because at school no awareness around ECO, or the schemes run by the government, had been taught. Her route into the sector came purely through her own initiative and the help of Training 2000.

A typical day for Beau now involves speaking with customers on the phone, booking Retrofit Assessments, checking the quality of those assessments to make sure everything is kept to a consistent standard, and modelling jobs so that she can ensure they are as energy-efficient as possible. Communication is the main skill Beau implements every single day, and not just because ECO has so many components and one small issue can disrupt a whole job, but also because customers often don’t understand the scheme. It’s important for Beau that they have all the information they need to ensure a smooth installation.

One of the biggest turning points in Beau’s career was the transition from ECO3 to ECO4. She was still relatively new to the sector, and everything was changing. Although she had to quickly adapt and learn, the process really did help to build her overall knowledge of ECO. The constant changes in legislation and rules are still a challenge for her today. ‘'Requirements change so frequently that one day can feel very different from the next’’ she said. ‘'ECO definitely keeps me on my toes’’. To handle this, Beau likes to make sure she’s well informed in advance, so she can begin putting new requirements into place in her work, before they become urgent.

Despite the challenges, the most rewarding part of Beau’s job is seeing happy customers with their new heating system or solar panels. So many of the people the company work with have old, expensive systems, or sometimes even no heating at all. ‘‘Hearing them talk about how much the scheme has changed their life is incredibly rewarding’’ she said. ‘‘Helping people is truly the thing I love most about working in ECO - helping those in fuel poverty and making sure they feel happy and comfortable in their own homes.’’

ECO is evolving all the time - every couple of months - and Beau thinks that in a few years time more people will know about the scheme, understand its benefits, and be more onboard with having it done themselves. She said that the sector has traditionally been male-dominated, but that more and more women are now getting involved. Beau hopes that in the next few years she will see even more women becoming assessors and co-ordinators, or taking up other roles within the green sector. Beau feels that more awareness in schools and early education would be greatly beneficial in helping younger girls to find their way into these opportunities. She feels that so many are simply not aware of the options that exist.

Throughout Beau’s journey, the team she has worked with have inspired her the most. She said ‘‘…they taught me everything I know today and have shown great resilience in such a fast-paced, constantly changing sector.’’

Beau said that if she could give some advice to somebody starting out in ECO, she’d tell them to keep evolving and updating their knowledge - ‘‘ECO is fast paced, so you’ve got to keep up.’’ She’d also encourage people to keep going and remember the good they’re providing for people, ‘‘…because ECO can be very rewarding.’’

Beau’s final words were that she truly believes the future is green, and with the way in which ECO is evolving, she is hopeful that every single person living in fuel poverty will eventually be helped. ‘‘I believe this will lead to a greener future for generations to come.’’