Jay K's Going Deeper Underground
Literally – he’s an under floor insulation installer.
Regular followers of our social media channels know we like peppering our posts with music-related puns. In March, we wrote a post featuring one of our NVQ achievers, Jay K, and infused it with references to Jamiroquai.
Back then, Jay K was close to finishing his NVQ Level 2 in Under Floor Insulation, with support from his assessor, Ian. We dropped Canned Heat, Space Cowboy and Cosmic Girl into the post (which you can read here).
Since we missed the most glaringly obvious Jamiroquai pun of all ā that, as an under floor insulation installer, heās going Deeper Underground ā we decided to interview Jay K about his NVQ. Outcome: this blog post article with its rightful headline.
Disclaimer: heās not actually called Jay Kay. Heās Jay Kothari, a 26-year-old construction worker and insulation specialist from Leicester. And instead of ostentatious hats, tracksuit tops and funky dancing, our Jay K prefers mountain climbing and wild camping (more on that later).
Hi Jay, thanks for taking time out of your weekend to do an interview with us. First off, can you tell us a bit about the work you do?
I work as an insulation installer for Energy Efficiency Group. We mainly do ECO4-funded retrofit work on older buildings such as Victorian terraces and semi-detached houses. Our job is to carry out the necessary energy efficiency and insulation improvements that have been identified by a retrofit assessor.
What did you do before you got into retrofit?
After I left college I tried a few different jobs – mainly in construction labouring, warehousing, food factories and a call centre handling PPI claims.
I had one job in a Marks & Spencer food factory making sauces. Each day weād make 600 kilos of sauce to go on M&S cheesecakes! Thereās only so much cheesecake-making a man can do in life, and eventually I decided it was time to get out and do something else.
You recently achieved your insulation NVQ with us. Did you have any previous qualifications?
Not construction-related ones. The only qualifications I had were in sports, food, and travel & tourism which I did at college.
What was the biggest factor that motivated you to start your NVQ?
Iāve been working in insulation for over two years now but until I completed the NVQ, I didnāt have a qualification to back it up.
How did the actual assessment process differ from your expectations about the NVQ before you started?
I thought it was going to be like a college or classroom course but it felt more like Open University where you work at your own pace. I was able to collect evidence for my NVQ portfolio while I was working, and everything else I did in the evenings after work.
What kind of support did Ian, your assessor, give you during the NVQ?
Ian is a brilliant teacher and he gave me great support throughout. Some of the knowledge questions were confusing but Ian helped me to interpret them. Iād call or Facetime Ian when I needed help, sometimes at 8pm or 9pm at night and heād still answer. Iāve told him that next time heās in Leicester, I want to take him out for a meal! Jody [DMR Client Relationship Manager] was also really supportive.
You spent some time in hospital during your NVQ, didnāt you?
Yes, I had an operation and I was in and out of hospital. But Jody stayed on top of everything, and she was like a second mentor to me alongside Ian ā she kept me organized and informed while I was recovering from my operation, and chased up my outstanding coursework. She was a great help.
What advice would you give to someone worried about starting their insulation NVQ?
Donāt be! If youāre unsure about something during the qualification, your assessor is only a phone call away. Theyāll give you all the support and guidance you need.
Now youāre a fully qualified insulation installer, whatās next?
Iād like to expand my range of construction skills, and Iād also like to get my CSCS card so I can do site work.
And finally, tell us something about Jay K when heās not working. What do you like doing in your free time?
I love hiking and wild camping.
Brilliant ā so do we! Done any good hikes recently?
Iāve climbed Ben A’an in Scotland, Striding Edge in the Lake District and been hiking in Malvern Hills. Iād recommend all of those to you. And also the North Coast 500 in Scotland if you have a car or camper van.
Thanks Jay, weāll add those to our To Do List. We can recommend Haystacks in the Lake District. Very scenic and not too taxing. Thereās a little tarn at the summit where you can go for a swim.
Not sure about swimming! But we sometimes take our tents and pitch near the summit.
Okay, you do the camping and weāll do the swimming. Cheers again for chatting with us Jay and best of luck with your career in retrofit.
Thanks!
Jay achievedĀ his NVQ Level 2 in Under Floor Insulation with funding from the European Social Fund (ESF). This interview is based on a telephone conversation that took place on Sunday 30th July, 2023.