Graduated with Distinction from Oxford, Chose Plumbing Over Translation

British national Isabel Chees did not expect her academic path to lead her to plumbing, but the decline in demand for translation services, driven by the use of artificial intelligence tools, prompted her to seek a new career. According to The Times, Chees, 39, is a mother of two. She graduated with first-class honors from Queen’s College at the University of Oxford in Spanish and Classics, then earned a master’s degree in archaeology and worked on a documentary project before transitioning into translation. The turning point came around 2023, when she noticed a drop in the volume of work she received, as her clients increasingly turned to AI for text translation. She then explored alternatives and chose plumbing because she wanted a more hands-on profession. She enrolled in a vocational college to retrain, and within weeks of obtaining her qualification, she joined a family-owned company in southeast London. Her rapid hiring reinforced her belief that there are opportunities in the field. Her career shift surprised colleagues, who wondered why an Oxford graduate would choose this trade. However, she believes plumbing requires technical knowledge, familiarity with tools and regulations, and the ability to diagnose problems and find solutions. For her, the new profession allows her to apply her mental abilities to practical challenges; academic excellence and manual craftsmanship can converge in a single career path. Her story reflects a broader trend toward skilled trades, as people seek job stability amid concerns about the impact of AI on office-based employment.