Meet the team: Stewart Shortridge

Stewart has been part of the REDS engineering team for three years, carrying out electrical work in hazardous environments, from new installations to remedial works.

We caught up with him to learn more about his background, what led him into the industry, and what he enjoys most about the role.

Tell us about your role at REDS
I’m a CompEx Electrical Engineer.

How long have you been with REDS?
I’ve been with REDS for 3 years.

What did you do before joining REDS?
Before joining REDS, I worked as an electrician at Bowdens.

How did you get into engineering and electrical work?
I generally had an interest in engineering from an early age and always played with electronics. I struggled a bit with handwriting at school, so dyslexia pushed me more towards practical work, which suited me well.

How long did it take you to qualify?
Around 3 to 4 years.

Stewart carrying out work on a control cabinet for one of our MOD tank installations.

Stewart carrying out work on a tank alarm for an utility site.

Tell us a bit about CompEx
CompEx qualifications mean you can safely carry out electrical work in highly explosive areas.

What CompEx qualifications do you hold?
I hold CompEx 1-4 and 7-8.

What’s the difference between them?
1-4 relates to general rules and regulations, while 7-8 focuses on fuel forecourts.

What does a typical day look like for you?
Usually, I assist with remedial works picked up from previous jobs or help with the installation of compliant standards.

What do you enjoy most about your job?
I enjoy learning new things. I’ve always been told I wasn’t going to achieve anything, so I’m really proud of how far I’ve come and what I’ve achieved so far.

What’s one memorable job or moment from your career?
I really enjoyed being on the Heathrow project. View the case study here >

Fuelling Installation at Heathrow Airport, UK

A specialist fuels infrastructure project for British Airways PLC (BA) at their Fleet Support Unit (FSU) hangar.

Lilo, Stewart's Frenchie x Cockapoo.

What do you like to do outside of work?
I watch football and support Liverpool FC, which I’ve followed since I was 4 years old. I also enjoy spending time with my three girls and going for walks, playing Xbox, or making the most of any free time together.

What advice would you give to someone starting out in your trade?
Enjoy the journey, keep learning, if you have the spark (pun intended) for it, then you will enjoy every day. Don’t let people get you down, if you put mind to it, you can do anything.

Find out more about our CompEx Electrical services >

0333 444 0004 / contact@redsgroup.co.uk