Kate started her apprenticeship with Encon in August 2019 as a Civil Engineering apprentice. She came to us from a background in education having worked as a Teaching Assistant for many years. As her daughter got older and more independent Kate wanted to explore a career in construction and applied for Encon’s Career Changers Project.
Having undertaken a 3-stage interview process we were impressed by Kates drive and enthusiasm and took her onto our Starbucks Site in Cardiff. The focus of Kates apprenticeship was Plant and she successfully completed her red CPCS tickets for Slinger / Signaller & Excavator, for Dumper / Roller and CPCS telehandler training & Pasma. The onsite work has consisted of Dumper / Roller Driving, Excavating & filling, Curb & Edging, below ground drainage & Coated macadam / Asphalt Roads. She has also assisted the engineer with setting out, helped with the staging and started training onsite on the telehandler.
In addition to her site duties Kate has been breaking down stereotypes and promoting the industry and the opportunities available through School engagement and an appearance on BBC Wales Today. As a result of her successful completion of plant apprenticeship Kate was taken on full time within our civil engineering team, and has been working at the site team at Brynmawr Costa Coffee, demonstrating how this project has lead to sustainable training and employment opportunities.
Kate said in an interview –
“Being the only female on site was daunting to start with, especially as I had embarked on a completely new career and didn’t feel like I had much to offer at that point other than my passion for the work and friendly personality, but I was made to feel really welcome. I made sure the foreman knew I wanted to learn and that there wasn’t anything I wouldn’t have a go at.
I love the fact that no day is the same and I am always doing and learning something new. I have been fascinated watching a site go from a carpark to a functioning building and loved assisting the engineer in setting out and getting involved in the drainage.
It’s amazing to know that I had a hand in building something that so many people will use!”
