Within six months of joining Watercare, Bridget O'Sullivan already has a bunch of new qualifications under her belt – including her Level 2 New Zealand certificate in infrastructure works.

As a serviceperson within Maintenance Services (MSN), 26-year-old Bridget is based at Penrose in the drainage team.

"The training here is really good. I've only been here six months and I've already got a few different tickets, including my Class 2 learner's license. I've done a lot courses, which are all relevant to the role, as well as on-the-job training."

For example, Bridget was recently trained to operate our mini-Combo drainage trucks.

"It's a Class 1 vehicle but you do need your dangerous goods license to drive it, because we carry waste."

Other unit standards she's completed include working in a confined space and gas detection, working at heights, and first aid.

After leaving school, Bridget gained a diploma in hospitality management and worked in a series of sales and hospitality roles, including a stint working for Disney hotels and parks in the US.

She'd always wanted to try a trade but wasn't sure about committing to an apprenticeship.

"I didn't want to get halfway through an apprenticeship and then realise, 'I don't actually like this'."

Last year, Bridget was working in Queenstown doing various jobs including labouring, traffic management and events.

"One of the guys I worked with at Veolia used to be with MSN, and he said, 'Why don't you try working there?'."

She had her interview with Watercare in October and was on the job by November.

As well as the upskilling opportunities, through our industry provider Connexis, Bridget enjoys the variety of the job.

"I like being outside, getting my hands dirty. And no two days are the same. You could be doing reactive work like flushing lines or clean-ups. Other days you might be doing investigations, responding to odour complaints, or working at one of the pump stations."

Inspecting a manhole chamber after unblocking a line.

Bridget's customer service background comes in handy when interacting with homeowners, especially if they've been impacted by an overflow.

"Most people are just happy you're there to fix what's happened. Sometimes they want to ask plumbing questions and I explain that I'm not a plumber…I'm here to do this specific job."

Her normal shift is 7.30am to 4pm. The team works a rotating on-call roster, which includes one weekend every five weeks.

Bridget gives a shout-out to her workmates and supervisors, who are "all really helpful".

"My supervisors are always there if I need help – they want us to check in if needed, rather than guessing and doing something wrong."

Outside of work, Bridget enjoys running and competes in half marathons. She also loves to travel, both in New Zealand and overseas, and hopes to visit South America next.

• Want to know more about our career pathways in water? Check out this info from our industry training partner Connexis, which shows the Water Career Progression Pathway.