Its a dirty job, but im training to do it

Nineteen-year-old Alison Coles is a trainee site manager with affordable housebuilder Lovell. She is currently working at Launton, near Bicester in Oxfordshire, where Lovell is working with Charter Community Housing on a £6m housing scheme to replace outdated prefab homes. She’s also studying for a BTEC in Construction on day release.

What’s your day-to-day work like?

It depends what’s happening on the site. I’m learning the job by working closely with a site manager: basically, the job is to coordinate all the different tradespeople on site – electricians, plumbers, plasterers and so on – and make sure everything goes to schedule.

Why did you choose this career?

I had my first taste of working in construction when I did some work experience for a building company while I was still at school. They let me lay a few bricks and do some other jobs and I really liked it. After I did my GCSEs, I joined Lovell as an apprentice and got my NVQ Level 3 in bricklaying. I joined the training scheme for site management because it means I can progress my career but stay on the construction side and work on site which I really enjoy – the people I work with are great, we really have a laugh. I get on with all my male colleagues at the moment, but things may change once I’m in charge!

Has it been what you expected?

I get on with all my male colleagues, but things may change once I’m in charge

It’s a big move going from the craft side into site management. It’s a totally different job and a bigger responsibility. You’re in charge of everything, from the subcontractors to the building materials – but I’m sure I’m up to it.

Being on the management side means I worry about different things. When I was a bricklayer, bad weather meant I was in for a day getting wet – now I worry about whether it might put us behind our programme.

What kind of person do you need to be?

You’ve got to be able to get on with everyone and be good at communicating with different sorts of people. You also have to be a good organiser and flexible – if a problem crops up you’ve got to be able to think on your feet.