JESSICA BILLINGSLEY - Company Director

Jess grew up in Rhyl, North Wales and, after attending the local high school, went on to study law at John Moores University in Liverpool. Jess had no idea what she wanted to do at 18 years old and so law seemed like a good career route. After spending several years as a paralegal specialising in property law, and after spending some time in New Zealand, Covid hit and Jess found that working from home full-time made her reassess her career choices. She had a desire to be around people and therefore took the big decision to change careers. She went to work for a plumbing business, overseeing the day to day operation of the business. This was a real turning point for Jess. As she began to see that this business had the potential to expand, she approached the business owner and suggested that the business transition into an energy efficiency installer. Jess saw this as a massive opportunity and she decided to be a business partner in the new venture and so, Renewable Green Energy (RGE) was born.

As company Director of RGE, Jess oversees the full end to end operation of the business. The fast-paced nature of energy efficiency retrofit and the impact it can have is what she enjoys the most. She said ‘it’s deeply satisfying knowing you have helped vulnerable people to live in safer warmer homes. This industry isn’t just about business targets, it’s about helping people, and its really important to us to maintain very high standards’.

Jess never saw herself working in energy efficiency retrofit and had no idea what job opportunities existed within the sector. She says her skills from her paralegal days and law degree have transferred well into her new world; the ability to interpret government legislation, effectively communicate with people and to analyse data, are all skills she already possessed.

A standout moment for Jess was completing a retrofit project on a block of flats in North Wales that originally appeared to not qualify for funding support. The flats were without heating and solid brick and Jess explained how these hard to treat properties are really common. Only by persevering, staying in touch with residents, and doing extensive surveys, was RGE able to carry out the project following a change to the ECO guidance. Jess said ‘many companies would have walked away but I was determined to help the residents and could see what a difference it would make to their lives’. It was this experience that showed her she had the knowledge and skills to be able to have an impact, and gave her the confidence to push for results.

Jess’s advise to those who are looking to join the sector is that you can succeed and find opportunities, regardless of your experience. She found herself in this industry unexpectedly, and she brought a new perspective to the business she worked in. She wants other women to know that they can do this too, and that the sector needs these new perspectives. She said ‘Net Zero is here to stay and someone’s unique background is why they are valuable to the industry’. Jess is keen to be more involved with initiatives like Women in Retrofit to help support other women and give them the confidence to make career changes and contribute to Net Zero.