A former painter and decorator who swapped her paintbrush for a plunger has been crowned one of the best apprentice plumbers in the country.
Danni Lee earned a spot at this year’s HIP Female Skills Competition Grand Final in April after a second-place finish at the regional heats.
It comes after the 30-year-old swapped her career as a painter and decorator for the world of plumbing, enrolling on a Level 3 course at Suffolk New College.
The grand final, at Stephenson College in Coalville, saw Danni and five other finalists take on a challenging installation designed by Mark Killy from the WaterSafe Register.
The Ipswich apprentice narrowly missed out on top spot, with Bronwen Evans from Cardiff and Vale College taking the prestigious title.
Speaking after accepting her runner-up trophy, Danni said: “It’s been a great experience, testing my skills against others and I’m shocked to become the second best female apprentice plumber in the country.”
Owen Breadman, a plumbing lecturer at Suffolk New College, added: “It’s brilliant. Danni smashed it.
“We are all very proud of her.”
Run by HIP (Heating Industry Plumbing) Magazine, the annual competition showcases the skills, dedication and motivation of the next generation of female plumbers.
