A career built on curiosity and lifelong learning

It ended up leading to her discovering an aptitude for electrical work and a decades-long career spanning electrical installation, business ownership, teaching, training, and course development.

Today, Belinda is part of the NICEIC Training team, helping shape the skills of electricians and installers looking to upskill and further their own careers.

Entering the industry

Belinda’s introduction to the electrotechnical sector came almost by accident. A college course geared towards new mothers was her first exposure to the trade, and she quickly realised she had a talent for it. Her early tutors picked up on this too: as she was coming to the end of her course, she was approached to see if she’d like to begin assessing and training others. It was the start of a career in training that would stay with her for years.

Alongside her growing practical experience, Belinda kept studying and gaining new qualifications, exploring new areas of the industry such as design. This commitment to self-development became a defining thread in her work: “I’m always looking for something new to learn and in electrics, there’s always something new,” she says.

Gaining experience and going solo

Over the next few years, Belinda worked for several electrical businesses in a variety of roles, including becoming a qualified supervisor (QS) at a number of those companies. Looking back, Belinda highlights the importance of her mindset at the time to keep on improving and progressing. “Your aim is to qualify and become a good electrician. And then you think, OK, now I’m a good electrician, what’s next? Can I become better or what’s the next stage?”

Eventually, Belinda took the leap into running her own electrical business, working to ensure it achieved NICEIC certification. As well as being a result of the years of experience she had built up, Belinda also describes how the decision to start her own business also helped her work-life balance as a young mum. “I used self-employment to give me the flexibility to raise my family. I could take them to school, take half term off… it gave me that freedom.”

That period, she says, taught her as much about people as it did about electrics, as she got to grips with the essential (and sometimes frustrating) aspects of running a business: accounts, admin, tax, and managing clients.

A passion for teaching

While her electrical career flourished, Belinda was also spending her evenings in classrooms and workshops. She taught for nearly two decades in a mix of colleges and private training organisations, helping new learners understand both the theory and practical skills required in the trade.

Seeing learners understand the things she was teaching was where Belinda found a lot of satisfaction in teaching. “It's a great feeling when you're explaining a concept and you can see the light bulbs going on in their heads as they understand it. It's nice to know you've made a difference to somebody.” She says her approach was always simple – make things relatable, give real-world context, and pass on the kinds of insights that stick with learners long after they’ve qualified.

After a period living abroad, Belinda returned to the UK and found her way back into training, later joining NICEIC at a time of growth. She initially stepped into a role supporting learners and shaping the content and delivery of NICEIC’s training. Whether it’s renewables, emerging technologies, or specialist training areas, Belinda describes how she enjoys helping people develop just as much now as she did when she first began teaching in the classroom.

A sector full of possibilities

Belinda is keen to encourage others looking at their career options to seriously consider the electrotechnical sector, given her first-hand experience of how wide-ranging the opportunities can be. “There are so many avenues,” she says. “Renewables, theatre and film lighting, engineering, inspection, design – electrotechnical skills can open doors to all sorts of roles.”

That’s a message she’s keen for others to hear, especially those who might overlook the sector because of outdated perceptions about what the job involves. “It’s not a mundane job. No two days are the same. Get the knowledge, be confident, and you can go far.”