Ashleigh Stent was crowned champion in TG Lynes’ Plumbing HERoes competition and is now enrolling in the City & Guilds NVQ Level 2 Domestic Plumbing & Heating course with training provider Choice Training.

The course is worth over £3,000, and the tool bundle is worth £600.

Supplier TG Lynes launched Plumbing HERoes to help encourage more women into the trade, which is still heavily male-dominated.

Ashleigh was selected as the winner by a team of judges from a clutch of entries. She said: “I am absolutely over the moon to win Plumbing HERoes. It’s a huge opportunity to take the next step in my career.

“I was working as a labourer for a small company and was encouraged to try a variety of trades.

“I found it empowering and enjoyed working with my hands. Plumbing interested me the most, and I started fitting wet rooms in social housing before moving to repair and maintenance in facilities management.

“I have since completed a diploma in plumbing. This prize will allow me to develop my skills further and obtain the NVQ qualification I need to get out there and launch my career as a residential plumber. It’s so exciting!”

The Level 2 qualification is required to obtain a Plumbing JIB Card, demonstrating proficiency.

Training will be delivered flexibly online and in-person at Choice Training’s base in Dagenham.

Ashleigh will also receive many tools to help accelerate her career, including pipe cutters, spanners, hacksaws and wrenches.

Andrew Ingram, TG Lynes' managing director, said, “Plumbing HERoes was a brand-new initiative for us and one we are extremely proud of.

“Plumbing is still an overwhelmingly male-dominated profession, with the latest statistics showing less than 3% of the workforce are women. We want to encourage more women to consider a career on the tools, which can be rewarding and fulfilling.

“We had some excellent entries, but Ashleigh stood out due to the work she has already put into getting her foot on the ladder and her ambitions for the future.

“I’m looking forward to following Ashleigh’s career as she grows and develops.”

The course includes health and safety, plumbing processes, cold water systems, hot water systems, radiators, etc.