By Samantha Rockson

Construction is changing. Once seen as a male-dominated industry, it is now opening doors for women who bring determination, creativity, and resilience to the trade. At Training Skills UK, we are proud to support women like Carina, whose inspiring journey shows what’s possible when passion meets opportunity.

Carina first heard about Training Skills UK through a friend while exploring new career options after working as a personal trainer. Always hands-on at home, fixing things and excelling at DIY, she realised that a practical career path in construction was the perfect fit. After meeting with Kas, our Head of Operations, who explained the programmes progression routes and course structure, Carina enrolled onto the Level 2 programme in October 2022.

While Carina found much of the Level 2 programme straightforward, the science and formulas proved a little difficult. Instead of giving up, she showed resilience and perseverance by watching YouTube tutorials, leaning on her trainer, and collaborating with fellow learners. With this support, she successfully completed the course.

Carina returned for the Level 3 programme, which introduced new challenges like technical drawings and diagram elements that she enjoyed. Mathematics remained tough, but she persevered by using online resources, the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), and peer support. Despite her learning difficulties, which make retaining information harder, Carina dedicated extra time and effort to stay on track. Her determination paid off: she completed Level 3 successfully.

Carina then advanced to her NVQ qualification, gaining valuable work experience with SMEs while balancing personal commitments. She also completed Inspection & Testing, the 18th Edition course, and passed the ECS card exam. Currently, she is preparing for her AM2 assessment, with ambitions to explore inspection, testing, and potentially the commercial field.

Carina credits Training Skills UK for playing a vital role in her success, receiving support such as dedicated staff who showed empathy and flexibility, engaging delivery that kept her motivated and practical solutions like live-streamed lessons and online materials, which helped her overcome travel challenges from South London.

She also highlighted how comfortable she felt learning alongside mostly male peers, explaining that their dominant personalities actually motivated her to engage more confidently.

Carina’s story proves that women can excel in construction, even when faced with challenges. Her resilience, adaptability, and determination reflect the values we champion at Training Skills UK, leading to her nomination and election for a Special Recognition Award in 2025. Although Carina was unable to attend the Awards event in June due to travel commitments, our GLA training centre manager, Joseph Ikusika, visited the centre to present the award to her (as seen in the image).

At Training Skills UK, we believe construction is for everyone. Carina’s journey shows that with the right support, women can break barriers, build skills, and shape the future of the industry.

#TSUKwomaninconstruction #TSUK #GLA #empoweringwoman

www.trainingskillsuk.com