Interview
10 minutes with... Jess Vailima
Managing director at the Electrical Industries Charity. Tea or coffee?
Tea, specifically peppermint tea, is my go-to.
Glass half full or glass half empty? Glass half full. I’m forever the optimist - I think you have to be in the charitable sector.
Working from home or working from the office?
That’s a hard one, I love the buzz in the office but enjoy the focused time at home.
How did you get started in this industry?
I joined the EIC in 2018 as the marketing, communications and events manager. We were a small team of four with big plans to grow awareness of the charity, address mental health in our industry and move the charity into the digital space.
What have been some key recent EIC achievements?
A highlight has been starting our mental health training programmes and seeing the shift in how the industry views and addresses mental health; watching the case numbers increase year-on- year, showing that more and more industry colleagues are aware that the charity is here to support them. We moved our LiveWire Newsletter online, which is directly received by 7,000 industry members. We started our charity podcast and Wellbeing seminars to spark conversations on sometimes ‘taboo’ subjects. We created a monthly health calendar, which addresses industry trends and signposts to key resources. We still have a long way to grow in the digital space, but I am so pleased with the steps we have made, and continue to make, to spark change in our industry.
What has been the highlight of your career?
I am so proud to be a part of the EIC for the last six years and am honoured to be able to now lead the charity into our next phase. The industry and charity amaze me daily – the generosity, passion and drive is second to none. Our charity’s ability to adapt quickly to the changes in the industry is phenomenal. We have a robust team in place who continuously review our offerings to
26 | electrical wholesalerAugust 2023
ensure services, events and fundraising remain relevant to the needs of our industry.
What are your key aims for the EIC moving forward?
I think 2023 is set to be such an exciting year for the charity, with regional events, Challenge for a Cause, powerBall, Rising Stars, Spark Change Brunch… the list goes on. What I am most excited for is our industry-leading Digital Learning Management System, dedicated to providing comprehensive free mental health awareness training to every apprentice in the UK electrical and energy industry. We have committed to training 35,000 apprentices each
year for the next five years. This is in recognition of the urgent need to combat the alarming rates of suicide within our sector. At powerBall 2022, many industry partners pledged funds to help create this essential learning platform. This is a perfect example of our industry standing together when we need it most. I cannot wait to launch this autumn and offer those much- needed foundations for our young apprentices.
What do you believe are the main challenges faced by individuals in the electrical industry at the moment? The last five years have seen an increased need for mental health support in the industry,
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