Headley teenager taps into family talent

A HEADLEY teenager has overcome personal odds to scoop an apprentice of the year title, for the second year in a row.

Plumber Emily Hiscock, aged 19, was recently presented with the Apprentice of the Year title at Basingstoke College of Technology, watched by her proud father, Simon Hiscock, who she works for in the family plumbing business in Headley and her grandfather, Barrie Hiscock, a retired plumber and also the chairman of Ashford Hill with Headley Parish Council.

A spokeswoman for the college, Claire Sutton, said Emily joined the college two years ago after leaving school to take a level one plumbing course, providing her with a chance to improve her mathematics and English skills, as she suffers from both dyslexia and dyscalculia.

“Having successfully completed – and enjoyed – (the plumbing course) last year, she was taken into the family business and is about to complete a level 2 apprenticeship in plumbing, working alongside her dad,” she said.

Simon Hiscock said he was very proud of his daughter, who tackled the hardest plumbing jobs with gusto.

“We are working in horrible conditions at the moment, in a roof space, and she just gets on and does what’s asked of her,” said Mr Hiscock.

He added that it was a “huge achievement”, which he put down to the support of both the college and Emily’s grandfather.

“We have a client base of older customers in care homes and they just take to Emily – they would rather have a woman there sometimes – she’s a boon to me.”

The Hiscock’s next plumbing challenge comes from the Royal County of Berkshire Show in September, where father and daughter will tackle the installation and maintenance of the plumbing services at the showground