Work experience student Keziah has spent the week at Friel, helping the agency identify new ways to promote careers in construction for women nationwide.
Keziah Webbe spent her week at the agency learning how to use Canva to craft and design a social media campaign for the ongoing Women in Construction Anglia (WICA) initiative.
Before returning to school to take on her mock exams, Construction Anglia spoke to Keziah about her experiences and what she wants to do in the future.
A keen footballer who plays for four clubs including Ipswich Town’s under 16s performance squad, Keziah said she really enjoyed working on the campaign.
She said: “I’ve been working on a campaign, finding ways to promote WICA on social media and influencing the next generation.
“I feel like there’s still a strong stereotype that construction is a male only industry but hopefully in the future people will realise it’s not.
“I think social media will have a big impact on this view.
“I have learnt a lot about the construction industry and how to use Canva, which I had never used before. I’ve really enjoyed experimenting with it.”
She added she’ll take back what she’s learnt about the industry to encourage her schoolmates to consider their own careers in the field.
She said: “I’m definitely going to tell people about getting into construction and that it’s not just for men, there are lots of roles for everyone.
“People have the idea it is just about bricklaying and carpentry, but there’s so much more to it.”
She said her work experience has given her a useful glimpse at working life.
“It’s great to get out of the classroom and out of your comfort zone,” she said.
“You become more independent as you are there by yourself.
“Work experience is important as it gives you the opportunity to see what it is really like to go to work and to see what you would like to do in the future.
“It has been really good. It is something I have really enjoyed and would like to do in the future.
“It has helped me understand the social aspect of a workplace, the teamwork and that it can be enjoyable.
“It’s not really what I expected, the social side of it and how a team can get along.
“Doing work experience at Friel has influenced me in what I want to do as a job – I worried it may be a bit boring, but it has been really fun.”