I am an Edinburgh woman working in construction and want to be a role model for others who dream of the same

Barratt Developments apprentice speaks during Scottish Apprenticeship Week and ahead of International Women’s Day on Friday

I'm Jessica St Clair Gunn, 27, originally from Norfolk, but I moved to Edinburgh in 2010, and two years ago I decided to take the plunge and apply for a place on this construction apprentice programme following an eight-year stint working in retail.

I’ve always been interested in joinery. Growing up there wasn’t a female role model in the field for me to look up to, but that didn’t stop me of dreaming of designing and building my own home from scratch.

I'm now coming to the end of my second year of the four-year programme, which combines classes at Edinburgh College’s Granton Campus with on-site experience. I'm already picked up skills including crafting a door and on-site tasks like roughing, finishings and customer care. 

Trainee tradeswoman Jessica St Clair Gunn is currently studying on the Barratt Developments’ four-year apprenticeship scheme.

I'm keen to encourage other women to consider a career in construction and trades. If I could give any advice to women swithering on whether they want to pick up a trade, it’s that they shouldn’t be put off by their gender. It is a male-dominated area but that can change as more women realise their potential and put their skills to use. I’ve always found that women have a really good eye for detail which is extremely important in this line of work.

I’m a visual learner so you only have to show me something once, and I thrive in problem-solving environments as I’m quite a practical person.

Barratt’s focus on sustainability is really exciting and something I would love to be a part of once I’ve completed the programme. The company has been extremely supportive and they have a great family-friendly culture which is always a benefit.

I think what I would love to work on most is renovation projects – I’ve been a Grand Designs fan my whole life. However, who know what the future holds? I may even look into becoming a site manager one day.