Why did you choose to study a BTEC in Construction?
I started my BTEC when I was 16; I came out of school having done my GCSEs and chose not to do A Levels. I felt like I knew where I wanted to go and the BTEC was really good because it was more specific in an area that I was really interested in.
I started my BTEC when I was 16; I came out of school having done my GCSEs and chose not to do A Levels. I felt like I knew where I wanted to go and the BTEC was really good because it was more specific in an area that I was really interested in.
I think the skills and experience that I gained at 16, by being in the workplace, and by going through that more chosen academic route, which ultimately led me into university, was such a brilliant starting foundation. It allowed me to focus on an area that I was particularly interested in, rather than going down the conventional route of channelling a little bit later down the line. I’m a big ambassador for BTEC and believe it is an excellent, valued way of starting a career path in construction.
How do you think studying a BTEC helped you in your career?
For me, my BTEC was genuinely the foundation stone of my career. It taught me so much about everything to do with construction, and if it wasn’t for that, there’s no way on earth I’d be where I am today.
What did you enjoy most about studying a BTEC?
Being a designer, the design module was fantastic. We did a lot; it was quite a broad spectrum of things. We did surveying, quantity surveying, all sorts of measurements. We did things from heating systems to drainage systems – you name it.
Why would you recommend a career in construction?
My BTEC course was massively diverse. We did many different modules, which were quite wide-ranging. And, people ended up doing lots of different things. Yes, we did have some quite traditional trades like bricklayers, plasterers and electricians, but we also had brilliant engineers and great designers. I went on to become an architect, so it’s brilliant, the range of careers you can get from a BTEC course.