A Day In The Life: Aaron Hall, Electrical Contracts Manager

Aaron Hall leads Medlec's electrical contracts team, bringing two decades of hands-on electrical experience. He started his apprenticeship in 2001 at 16 and joined Medlec in 2017 as an electrician before stepping into his current role as electrical contracts manager.

How long have you been with Medlec, and what's your role?

I first started with Medlec as an electrician in 2017, I'm now the Electrical Contracts Manager. I've been an electrician for over 20 years, starting my apprenticeship in 2001, just after I left school at 16.

Could you walk us through a typical day?

With reactive maintenance, there isn't really such a thing as a typical day. The first thing I do when I come in is catch up with the Help Desk team to see if there's anything from the previous evening or weekend, as we run a 24/7 service. I'm the first point of escalation and technical support for the team out in the field, so most of my day is spent managing urgent technical problems. I am available to deal with issues and assist the site managers, maintenance managers, and all our field-based electrical engineers to help our clients get their businesses back up and running. I'll generally catch up with Christian in the afternoon and look at jobs needing more technical expertise and site surveys.

Which recent project has been particularly memorable for you?

A recent job, changing a commercial kitchen from gas to electric for All Bar One in Hounslow. That was great to be involved in, but it came with plenty of challenges. We had to install new distribution boards for a cook line appliance and connect them to two different distribution boards. We had to interlock it together so the extraction and emergency safety systems worked in tandem.

What's the most challenging part of your job?

Managing different aspects of multiple projects and coordinating with teams and clients - it's a role that requires strong communication skills at every level.

Which piece of kit couldn't you live without?

My phone! But on the tools, my side cutters. They literally do everything - so many different jobs all wrapped up into one.

What's the best thing about working with the Medlec team?

At Medlec, we've built something special. Our team knows the job inside out, from our Help Desk to our field engineers who've developed strong relationships with our clients and understand the contracts and sites. We have such a varied skill set that we can find the right solution for every challenge.

How has the industry changed since you started?

When I first started, it was the 16th edition of the regulations. There's probably been six or seven full changes since then, including the colours of the cabling changing while I was still an apprentice. Recently, there have been lots of changes regarding surge protection and arc fault protection, which have crept in.

You have quite a following on TikTok...

Yes, I used to run an electrical TikTok account - @AarontheSparks. With 37,000 followers and over 874,000 likes. While working on-site, I'd share discussions about different installations, look at other people's work, and show interesting finds from jobs. It was a great/fun way to share knowledge and connect with others in the trade. These days, though, since moving into my office-based role, my content creation has gone a bit... static.

What do you enjoy doing when you're not keeping buildings running smoothly?

I've got a wonderful, supportive fiancée, two kids and a French Bulldog - most of my time is spent with them. I'm big into sports - mainly football, NFL and cricket. My kids and I have started doing 'the 92' - visiting each of the 92 professional football clubs in English football.

Any hidden talents that your colleagues might not know about?

I can solve a Rubik's Cube.

What would you be doing if you weren't in this trade?

I'd still want to do something with my hands. I think I would have probably been a carpenter or joiner - making stuff.

What aspects of Medlec's plans excite you?

We're expanding our building maintenance contracts at Medlec, and it's an exciting time to be part of the company's growth. Christian has a clear vision, and working with him will always be exciting - he's always looking to the future, looking to the next thing. It's refreshing to work for someone like that.

Any advice for someone looking to start in your field?

Keep your phone in your pocket - that's rule number one. You've got to be proactive. If you're working with an electrician as an apprentice, you've always got to try and use your brain and think about what's coming next, what you need to be prepared for. And always ask questions. If you're not asking questions, then you probably don't understand. Keep asking until you get it.