A woman from Hamilton has embarked on a career in construction after being made redundant from her job as an air hostess.
Lynsey Kirk lost her job during the pandemic leaving her at a 'crossroads' looking for her next career move.
The 22-year-old decided to embark on a completely different challenge in becoming a quantity surveyor. She is now undergoing a graduate apprenticeship with GRAHAM.
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Lynsey, from Hamilton, said: “After being made redundant from my air hostess role during Covid, I was at a crossroads looking for the best next step for my career. In my early 20s, it was challenging to know what to do next, but after I was introduced to the GRAHAM team, they opened a door to a career in construction that I’d never considered before.
“The mix of on-site practical experience and degree-level education is a fantastic way to get to grips with the role properly, and I will feel confident stepping into a full-time role with GRAHAM after graduation in 2026. It gives me great peace of mind to know that I have guaranteed employment after completing my degree and I’m excited to progress a successful career in the Scottish construction industry.”
GRAHAM is celebrating the next generation of women in construction and the opportunities it provides to encourage people from non-traditional routes into construction.
Among those currently undergoing an apprenticeship with the company is 16-year-old Lucy Threlfall who joined GRAHAM as an apprentice administrator before also going on to become a trainee engineer at PLATFORM_ Glasgow, whilst starting a NC Civil Engineering apprenticeship at Glasgow Kelvin College.
Michelle Jeffrey, 20, currently works on the PLATFORM_ Glasgow scheme as a trainee engineer whilst completing a graduate apprenticeship in civil engineering at the University of Strathclyde.
Debbie Rutherford, Social Impact Manager at GRAHAM Building North, said: “The construction industry is experiencing a real skills shortage. There is a concerning lack of qualified people available to fill vacancies, and in a bid to address this, GRAHAM has made a significant investment in the training and upskilling of colleagues with the aim of building future talent – and retaining existing skills for the company.
“It has been well documented that the candidate pool of construction workers is shrinking at an unsustainable rate, and long-term solutions are required. Therefore, earn-as-you-learn schemes, such as Graduate Apprenticeships, are critical for employers.
“We are finding many benefits. Our apprentices are not only obtaining qualifications, but they are also gaining invaluable experience which benefits us as an employer. The knowledge our colleagues are acquiring is being applied on sites, which brings positive change through fresh new methods and different ways of thinking. Very importantly, Graduate Apprenticeships are also opening up the industry to new demographics and creating a diverse and inclusive workforce.”
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