A Suffolk painter and decorator who swapped the pathology lab for a trades van has praised a local non-profit for its role in highlighting construction opportunities to women.
Louise Gunn left her career as a lab technician at Ipswich Hospital aged 40 to go back to college and retrain as a painter and decorator before the pandemic.
Three years on from finishing her Level 3 qualification, she’s now returning to colleges across the region as a representative of community interest company Women in Construction Anglia.
Her voluntary role sees her tell her story to youngsters, inspiring them to take on roles in the industry she loves.
“I worked in the blood science lab at Ipswich Hospital,” she said. “I enjoyed the work but the 12-hour night shifts were taking a lot of adjustment and I knew I wanted to make a change.
“I’ve always liked painting and decorating – I’ve decorated every house I’ve ever owned.
“I thought about exploring it as a career and said to myself ‘if you don’t take the leap now, then you’ll never know’.”
Louise enrolled on a Level 1 course at Suffolk New College, where she then completed her Level 2 before making the switch to West Suffolk College in her final year.
She said: “Going back to college was a real eye-opener, being back with all the other students.
“A week after finishing the course I got my own van and started working. I’d told all my family and friends about me starting work and had a lot of jobs coming in from the get go.
“I haven’t looked back since. If I could have made the switch earlier then I would have.”
She came across Clare Friel and the team at Women in Construction Anglia last year, describing its mission to improve inclusivity and bridge the gap between education and industry as “brilliant”.
She said: “We have to promote the industry as there’s simply not enough of us.
“Back when I started my training there weren’t many women in construction. There wasn’t really anyone for me to look up to – and that’s the person I want to be for the next generation of young women joining the industry.
“The more I can do to help, the better.
“To anyone thinking of changing careers, I’d say they should definitely go for it. Be strong, know what you are capable of and trust yourself. It’s a lot of work, but it’s so worth it.
“I recently went back to West Suffolk College to speak to students and was so pleased to hear the class was a near 50/50 gender split. It’s great to see, but there’s so much more to be done.”
More information on Women in Construction Anglia and its mission can be found at www.womeninconstructionanglia.com.
