Inspiring women into trades

Zurina was running her own cleaning business and doing general property maintenance before deciding to enrol on a Level 2 Plastering Apprenticeship at Redcar and Cleveland College. She has now been in her role at Thirteen Group for 12 months and is proud of the successful career she’s building in the trades.

Zurina said: “I wanted to gain recognised qualifications and develop my skills while working alongside experienced colleagues, and the apprenticeship with Thirteen was the perfect opportunity to progress. I’m mentored by an experienced trades professional and have had the opportunity to work on a variety of projects doing a mixture of plastering and tiling.”

Zurina’s hard work and positive attitude were recognised when she was selected to compete in SkillBuild, one of the UK’s largest skills competitions for the construction industry. She went on to secure second place in a regional qualifying round.

Alongside this success she says she continues to learn something new every day, and that’s what keeps her so excited to go to work. She explained: ” There’s so much camaraderie at Thirteen, and everyone is very supportive, and if you’re willing to learn, the team will go above and beyond to help you. I’m becoming skilled in a trade and trusted to work on my own as my confidence grows.”

Zurina is one of a growing number of female trades not only at Thirteen but across the construction industry and is passionate about sharing the opportunities available for women in trade professions. She says: “When I was at school it was the boys who were pushed into trades – all of the advertising for jobs like plastering were male-orientated. I think it’s important to show that’s not always the case.”

Inspiring women to enter trades isn’t just about equality, it’s about opportunity. When women are represented in construction, engineering, plastering and other trade professions, young girls can see what’s possible for their own futures through apprenticeships. If you’re a business looking to explore how apprenticeships could benefit your business, or an individual looking to learn, get in touch: business@the-etc.ac.uk

Find out more about apprenticeships at Redcar and Cleveland College.