Smashing stereotypes, fixing gas leaks and rescuing pigeons - all in day's work for Northern Gas Network's only female engineer

Sarah Wilkinson, 43, from Pickering, is an Operational Response Engineer for gas distributor Northern Gas Networks, and often finds herself working alone, in the middle of the night, in the middle of nowhere.

She is carrying the flag for female empowerment today - International Women in Engineering Day. If a customer smells gas, Ms Wilkinson’s role means she first on the scene, using hi-tech equipment such as a Gascoseeker, to detect and fix gas leaks.

The job remains male-dominated, reflective of the fact that just 11 per cent of all engineering jobs in the UK are occupied by women.

She said: “When I first started, I was quite nervous, as I think everyone is. You are given your training, but nothing can quite prepare you for that first call-out in the middle of the night, when it is just you, on your own, responsible for keeping the customer safe. You’re going into a potentially explosive or poisonous atmosphere, so it’s a big responsibility.

“Being a woman in this role can sometimes be an advantage. When you are dealing with an elderly, female customer for example, I think it can be easier for me to quickly build a rapport, because the customer feels more at ease.

“In some circumstances, however, I don’t mind admitting that the guys have the upper hand. You can often find yourself working all night in the middle of nowhere. Basic things such as finding somewhere to go to the loo become rather tricky. Easy enough if you are a bloke. Not so easy for me!”

The coronavirus pandemic has changed the way Ms Wilkinson and her colleagues approach jobs. If a customer has suspected COVID-19 symptoms, or is shielding, she is required to wear full PPE, which is then bagged and disposed of following the job.

“I did worry about working during the pandemic at first, but I think most of us have got used to the routine now,” she said. “We have to be available for our customers, 24 hours a day, so it’s a case of working as safely and sensibly as possible. Sometimes it can be difficult, because I might be the only human being some customers have had in their home for weeks. I’m asking them to stay in another room of the house while I work, but meanwhile, they are desperate to talk to me.

"You’ve also got to be prepared for just about anything. Only last week, I found myself trying to free a live pigeon that had got stuck in a customer’s chimney. Thankfully, it escaped safe and sound.”