SELECT, a trade association, has released a new video featuring Heather Fleming, Scotland's first female electrical apprentice, to celebrate Scottish Apprenticeship Week and mark International Women's Day.

The film, "Blazing a Trail," produced in partnership with the Scottish Electrical Charitable Training Trust (SECTT), documents Fleming's career journey, highlighting her experiences and the value of apprenticeships.

Fleming, who joined SELECT Member firm HF Electrical in Glasgow in 1988 after working as a textile machinist, recounts her initial interest in electrical work and her determination to be treated equally.

"Electricity had always been like black magic – it was just there – so it piqued my interest," Fleming explains in the video.


She attended Clydebank College (now West College Scotland) and insisted on being treated no differently than her male counterparts. "HF looked after me but there was never any, 'Wow, you're the first'," she says.

Fleming also emphasised her pursuit of equality during her studies at Stow College, night school, and university. "Just because you're a female you don't need to be promoted more," she stated.

Now an engineer with the Estates Department at the University of Edinburgh, also a SELECT member, Fleming believes an apprenticeship offers a solid foundation for a successful career.

SELECT Director of Employment Affairs, Catherine Gillon, said: "We are grateful to Heather and the University of Edinburgh for giving up their time and allowing us to discuss her journey in the industry."

SECTT CEO Fiona Harper added: "Heather's story is an inspiring one and is the perfect example for Scottish Apprenticeship Week as it shows the rewards and opportunities that are available to young learners starting out on their own career path."