CITB apprentice Jessica Lea from St Helens has a message for other young women who would like to join the UK construction industry: ‘Go for it!’
Jessica said she loves the variety and job satisfaction as an assistant engineer with the Murphy Group, and is thriving in what has traditionally been seen as a male-dominated industry.
“The apprenticeship route was definitely the best for me,” said Jessica. She has achieved a BTEC qualification in civil engineering at Wigan and Leigh College and is studying for a degree one day a week. “There are actually a lot of women joining the industry now and the work is really varied.”
Jessica has been involved in the award-winning Carters Bridge Project in St Helens and is currently involved in the £4 million Bolton Sky Link project.
She has won a number of awards for her efforts including being named Apprentice of the Year for the Northwest.
Jessica is building up an impressive CV. She advises other women hoping to go into the industry to seriously consider an apprenticeship.
A CITB apprenticeship combines on-site experience with college learning to provide the right balance of training and real-life experience, and you will earn as you learn. There are many different apprenticeships available in construction; some familiar, but there are plenty that might surprise you.
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