“An apprenticeship was my route up the career ladder”
Mar 4, 2014By Katie Lockwood
Many people say they don’t like school – but I really hated it! So much so in fact, that I was eventually expelled – that’s how much I didn’t like school!
Finding myself aged 16 with no qualifications to my name was something of a dilemma. Academic work was just not for me, so going to college to re-sit my GCSEs was simply not an option, and so I decided to do something that would keep me as far away from books as I could get.
My first week as an Apprentice Bricklayer
I signed up to do a bricklaying course at college. Everyone thought I was mad – but I really enjoyed it.
Emanuel Whittaker were recruiting apprentices to work on several of their recently won Procure Plus contracts (previously GM Procure) at the time and after meeting Emanuel Whittaker’s Managing Director, Clive Newton, I was offered a bricklaying apprenticeship. It was a minimum three-year commitment, hard work and no messing about. Not long after I started with Emanuel Whittaker’s in February 2008, I found myself pregnant with my first son. I stayed with them until it was time to have the baby and then went back not long after.
I became a CITB Construction Ambassador, and now attend schools and careers events to encourage other young people to consider a career in construction
The benefits of an apprenticeship mean you are being paid while you learn. It is just the right mix of college work where I did practical as well as theory and real work on a real building site. Everyone wants you to do well, your college tutors and your employers and as well as learning a skill and earning money, you will gain a qualification that means something to employers.
I was not remotely academic at school and so nobody was more surprised than I was when I found out that I was actually enjoying the theory side of my apprenticeship. I have qualified as a bricklayer, received my NVQ Levels 2 and 3. I have since completed a further year of study to get an understanding of all aspects of the construction industry on a BTEC ONC in Construction and the Built Environment.
I always studied hard with my college coursework and I worked extremely hard at mastering the practical side, even when I found myself pregnant with my second son, completing my final practical assignment when 9 months pregnant!
There is a real difference between studying at school and studying at college. Firstly, you’re treated as an adult and have to actually want to learn, which I didn’t when I was younger, but of course you are learning a subject you are interested in this time – too many of the lessons at school held no interest for me at all. Finally, providing you are keen to do well, most tutors will really go the extra mile to push you on.
I passed my driving test thanks to Procure Plus who paid for my lessons and test. I can now travel to sites and not have to rely on lifts from my workmates.
It’s six years now since I started out as a bricklayer and I have recently been promoted to Assistant Site Manager by Emanuel Whittaker and I am still learning. This time I am working towards my NVQ level 5 in Construction Site Management, as well as working towards a HND in Construction at Salford City College. I think my teachers at school would be amazed if they could see me now.
My new role means ensuring the site staff are working to the best of their ability, ordering materials for the work on site and liaising with residents. I really like working with the residents and making sure they are happy with the work we are doing.
Who’d have thought it, me, giving a speech at our company fun day when I won an award for best fundraiser!
An apprenticeship has been the best route forward in my career. Just because you don’t like school or you don’t do well at school does not mean that you won’t be able to get a good job. If like me, you want to do well and work hard but would prefer to find another route to meet your goals; my advice is to find an apprenticeship with a good company.
Many of the senior managers at Emanuel Whittaker started as trainees or apprentices. If they can do it – so can I!
If you are interested in becoming an apprentice, visit https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk or call 0800 100 900.
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