A Northampton College plumbing teacher is celebrating an extraordinary professional achievement after becoming both a Master Plumber and a Chartered Scientist – while returning to the college where his own career began.
Donald Lack’s career in plumbing, engineering, energy and sustainability spans more than five decades, taking him from a five-year plumbing and heating apprenticeship at Nene College Northampton, now Northampton College, to senior positions in industry, local government and energy management.
Donald was awarded the prestigious Master Plumbers Award by the Livery Council and City & Guilds in February 2024, recognising his contribution to the plumbing profession. Last month,, he added Chartered Scientist status through the Institution of Environmental Sciences and the Science Council – a rare combination of professional achievements that he is now bringing to the classroom at Booth Lane.
After completing his apprenticeship, Donald became a registered plumber and progressed through the profession, eventually moving into management and overseeing teams of engineers and apprentices. He later joined Leicester City Council as an Energy Officer, tasked with reducing the city’s energy consumption by 50 per cent, before holding senior roles across energy efficiency, construction, engineering and environmental sustainability.
His career has included work with organisations including W S Atkins, AECOM and NIFES, as well as presenting at national and international conferences across Europe. He has also contributed to parliamentary and European energy forums and gained an MSc in Energy and Sustainable Development from De Montfort University.
Donald retired from full-time work in 2016 but continued to develop his knowledge of the rapidly changing energy sector. Now back at Northampton College as a plumbing teacher, Donald is enjoying the opportunity to pass his knowledge and experience on to a new generation.
He said: “I went travelling and did what I called a ‘study tour’, looking at the renewables infrastructure in the US and Spain so I was up to date with everything that’s happening in the sector.
“Teaching is something I’ve always enjoyed and coming back to Northampton College has been a brilliant experience. It’s a full circle moment and I’m loving the challenge of inspiring the next generation.”
For Donald, plumbing and renewable energy remain a passion and he is determined to instil his ethos of continual learning and development into his current students.
He added: “A plumbing course is a stepping stone and the foundation on which you can build a whole career. It opens doors and gives you so many options.”
His return to Northampton College means today’s students have the opportunity to learn from someone who has experienced the plumbing and construction industries from the workshop floor through to senior management, energy policy and international sustainability work.
For more details about courses available at Northampton College, visit www.northamptoncollege.ac.uk.
