There were 24,590 new construction apprentices taken on in 2024\/25, the first annual rise in three years, according to a report from professional tool supplier Protrade.<\/p>\n
At the same time, it was a record year for women beginning apprenticeships in the sector, with a 9 per cent rise on the previous 12 months to 2,630 new entrants. Women now make up one in 10 construction apprenticeships.<\/p>\n
One of the new entrants was 23-year-old Anna Bergmanis, who became a trainee group procurement assistant with independent housebuilder Dandara after studying marketing, project management and financial accounting at the University of Kent. Starting her apprenticeship in July last year, she\u2019s gaining vital experience of how the housebuilding sector\u2019s supply chains work.<\/p>\n
As part of Apprenticeship Week, she spoke to Construction News.<\/em><\/p>\n Why did an apprenticeship appeal to you?<\/strong><\/p>\n An apprenticeship appealed to me because I got to learn on the job, with less pressure, and still come away with a qualification at the end. I liked the idea of not being expected to know everything straight away. It felt like a more supported way to start a career.<\/p>\n I\u2019d studied marketing, project management and accounting, but I wasn\u2019t completely sure where I wanted to go next. The apprenticeship gave me a chance to build experience while still learning, rather than jumping straight into a role and feeling like I had to figure everything out on my own. Being able to ask questions and grow into the job properly was a big part of why it appealed to me.<\/p>\n Has it made sense financially \u2013 both in the short and long term?<\/strong><\/p>\n Short term, no \u2013 it is harder. Being on an apprenticeship wage does mean things like moving out [of my parent\u2019s house] will probably take longer, and sometimes I do feel a little bit behind compared to friends who went straight into graduate roles.<\/p>\n But long term, yes, I think it makes sense. I know I\u2019ve got a good role with a lot of development and future potential. I\u2019m gaining real experience and understanding how the business works, which I think will put me in a stronger position later on. It might feel slower now, but I believe it will pay off over time.<\/p>\n Do you feel supported by the industry? In what ways?<\/strong><\/p>\n Yes \u2013 definitely. I feel like there are more women in the industry now, which makes a difference. It feels more open and welcoming than I expected before I started.<\/p>\n There\u2019s also a strong focus on learning and development. I\u2019m doing other courses through work, including a sustainable management course, which shows that there\u2019s investment in helping us grow beyond our immediate role. That support makes you feel valued and gives you confidence that you\u2019re progressing.<\/p>\n What would you like to see the industry do more of to support young apprentices and graduates?<\/strong><\/p>\n I think continuing to offer trainee and apprenticeship routes is really important. The job market is very difficult at the moment, and even having a degree doesn\u2019t guarantee you a job. Having the option to come in as a trainee or apprentice gives people another way in and helps them break into an industry that might otherwise feel out of reach.<\/p>\n It would also be good to see more awareness in schools about the different opportunities within construction. It\u2019s not just site roles \u2013 there are so many career paths in areas like procurement, sustainability and project management. I don\u2019t think that\u2019s talked about enough, especially to girls.<\/p>\n Thoughts and reflections? <\/strong><\/p>\n I\u2019m really enjoying being in construction. It wasn\u2019t something I had ever thought about before, but now I don\u2019t see myself leaving the industry. There\u2019s a lot more to it than people realise, and there are so many opportunities once you\u2019re in.<\/p>\n I just wish there was more information in schools about construction and the number of opportunities within it, particularly aimed at girls. If I\u2019d known earlier how varied it is, I might have considered it sooner.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" There were 24,590 new construction apprentices taken on in 2024\/25, the first annual rise in three years, according to a report from professional tool supplier Protrade. At the same time, it was a record year for women beginning apprenticeships in the sector, with a 9 per cent rise on the previous 12 months to 2,630 …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":155754,"featured_media":538176,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[570,575],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-538101","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interviews","category-skills"],"yoast_head":"\n