| By :
Martin Hofschroer
A female plumber is hoping her success at a national awards event will encourage more women to take plumbing courses. Natasha McDonald was honoured as England's top learner at the National Vocational Qualifications awards this June after she was nominated by her tutors due to her inspiring qualities. Ms McDonald's tutors at the College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London put her name forward for the award after they were impressed by the way she has acted as a role model for other women looking to enter the construction industry. The London plumber was praised for her inspirational talks at job fairs in which she encouraged prospective students to take plumbing courses due to the rewarding nature of working in the construction sector. Ms McDonald, who works for Homes for Haringey, revealed that she was happy to receive the prestigious award because she enjoyed great job satisfaction while working as a plumber. She said: "It was a shock to be announced overall winner, I'm delighted. I love plumbing and fixing blockages in people's homes." "I've studied and work hard so it is really rewarding to get recognised for the work I do. I am also passionate about encouraging other women to enter the construction industry. Natasha's achievement will hopefully demonstrate to women that a female can succeed in the stereotypically male dominated construction industry. "I have been to job fairs on behalf of Homes for Haringey and spoken at Haringey's International Women's Day. This has helped me to connect with females who are thinking of a career in construction and offer my advice," she added. Lord Baker of Dorking and television personality Arlene Phillips were on hand to present Ms McDonald with a certificate of recognition and a plaque at the ceremony at Royal Horticulture Halls in London. The annual event celebrates the successes of vocational students from around the country with the VQ Learner of the Year Awards. Two regional winners from England, one aged under 24 and one aged 25 and over were presented with the top award. People wishing to follow in Ms McDonald's footsteps should be aware that the required foundation plumbing courses for beginners is the City & Guilds NVQ 6129 level 2, which allows progression onto the NVQ level 3. It is essential for potential plumbers to complete both these plumbing courses in order to become fully qualified and work within the industry. Learners should be wary of crash plumbing courses which promise to teach the skills to become a fully qualified plumber in a short period of time.
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