A budding Suffolk construction professional said she would ‘never have known’ the exciting opportunities construction offers were it not for a local not-for-profit.
Morgan Reddington said she found herself questioning her career options after an injury saw her professional footballing ambitions fall through – until she was introduced to Women in Construction Anglia (WICA) last year.
The regional organisation, set up by Construction Anglia Editor, Clare Friel, aims to promote the opportunities in construction for women, bringing inspirational role models to colleges and career fairs across the East of England.
Thanks to her support, 20-year-old Morgan joined Suffolk contractor Barnes Construction as a Management Trainee in September.
Reflecting on her journey to mark Women in Construction Week, Morgan said she is proud of what she has achieved.
“I attended a careers event at college where Clare was on the panel,” she said. “What she said really stood out to me.
“It had never been made aware to me that construction was a career option, so speaking to her after the event opened a whole new world for me.
“The WICA events gave me the opportunity to hear from people working in really interesting fields, as well as from current construction students about their ambitions.”
As well as providing networking opportunities, WICA and its award-winning mentors provided Morgan with support in writing her CV and job applications.
Morgan then began applying for trainee roles at a number of local and regional contractors, before spotting a position at Barnes.
“Their trainee pathway is great,” she said. “You can really see where you can progress and get a chance to try out working in different departments.
“It has been brilliant – the people are so lovely. Everyone is so happy to help.
“So far I’ve worked in pre-construction and have just joined the design department. I’ve enjoyed it all so far, but I’m looking forward to getting out on site too.
“I’m keeping an open mind about where I’d like to go.”
Away from the office, Morgan continues to work alongside Clare and the WICA team in raising the profile of construction for more young people in her shoes.
That included attending an event at the House of Commons, taking the WICA message to parliament.
“Clare has really opened my eyes to what’s possible in the industry,” she said. “There’s so much to explore and dive into.
“There have been so many great opportunities so far but you just know there will be even bigger things coming for WICA.
“I’m attending careers fairs for Barnes now, including at my old college. It’s been great to see how many people come up and speak to us, both boys and girls.”
Simon Severwright, Surveying Director at Barnes Construction, said leaders in the business have been impressed by Morgan’s work to date.
He added: “Morgan has been doing really well since she joined us – she has fit in fantastically.
“She’s added another dimension to the business and we’re very pleased with her work.
“Our trainee programme has been at the heart of the business for more than 40 years – and it’s great to see young women like Morgan join us.
“The work Clare and the team at Women in Construction Anglia is doing is great. I definitely think we’re entering a new era for the industry where we are going to see a more diverse workforce.”
READ MORE: Clare Friel on the importance of Women in Construction Week
Clare said it has been “inspirational” seeing how much Morgan has grown as she continues to blossom in the industry.
She added: “From the first day I met Morgan, you could see she had that desire and hunger to succeed in our industry.
“Seeing young women share that passion for construction – and go onto achieve great things – makes it all worthwhile. People like her are the future of our industry.
“I know she has a very bright path ahead of her.”
More information on how to join the Women in Construction Anglia community can be found at www.womeninconstructionanglia.com.
