The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
New job Smart decision for Ramsay
Fancy a job that gets you out and about, meeting and helping people as you go? Why not consider working for Scottish
Gas?
Ramsay El-Nakla, 30, is a Smart Energy Expert and installs smart meters in homes across Dundee.
Ramsay joined Scottish Gas in 2014 after working in different jobs across the retail and hospitality sectors.
“I’d worked in a number of different roles, but nothing really excited me, so about four years ago I decided I wanted to start a job that would get me on a more interesting career path,” he says.
“I saw an advert for a Smart Energy Expert who would help with the UK-wide smart meter roll-out and thought it sounded interesting, so I applied.”
Ramsay underwent an assessment day at Scottish Gas’ Edinburgh headquarters, followed by a six-month training programme at the Scottish Gas Academy in Glasgow before starting his new role.
“The training was first class and fully prepared me to hit the ground running,” he says.
“On my first day, I was given a brand new van and a full set of tools, and I was ready to go. We have a great team and there are always people you can call on for support, too. It also helps that all my customers are friendly.
“I usually start my day with a customer visit at around 9.30am. I typically have around four appointments each day, which can vary from a standard smart meter install to a meter repair or repositioning.
“Installations are my favourite. I’ll go to a customer’s house, swap their old meter for a smart one, and explain to them how their new smart energy monitor works and what its benefits are.” Ramsay says he really enjoys helping customers get to grips with their energy use.
“People don’t always realise that their smart energy monitor will show them how much energy they’re using in pounds and pence, in near real time,” he explains.
Since qualifying, Ramsay has been trained in other areas of the business, including boiler servicing and gas installations.
“This is by far the best job I’ve had and there’s always opportunity for progression,” he says.
“I’ve been lucky enough to be exposed to different aspects of the business and I’ve learned new skills along the way.
“There’s also a really great team dynamic here. All of the Smart Energy Experts in my patch will help out if someone needs a hand with an install or is running behind schedule.”
Customers are a huge part of Ramsay’s day and he often goes above and beyond for them.
“We had an out-of-hours job come through just after midnight in January last year from a lady whose heating had broken,” he recalls.
“She had just given birth, so we needed to get there quickly and help her get her home warm and working again.
“It was about an hour’s drive from my home and I managed to get there just before 2am. Within half an hour I’d fixed her heating and repaired her meter.
“It’s call-outs like that which give me a great sense of job satisfaction – it makes me realise just how much I love this career.”