'Cottage refurb shows girls belong in construction'

16 hours ago

Kate BradbrookDelapre Abbey, Northampton

News image — Students Victoria (left) and Karys said the opportunity to work on the restoration was an opportunity as women to show off their skills

BBC/Qays Najim Two teenagers in dark tops and hi-vis vests stand against a light blue wall. On the let, Victoria has long blonde and and glasses. On the right Karys has long reddish brown hair. — Students Victoria (left) and Karys said the opportunity to work on the restoration was an opportunity as women to show off their skills

A teenage girl who was part of a restoration project at a historical house said her involvement was proof that women can work in construction the "same as boys".

Victoria, 17, was among a number of Northampton College students who worked on an abandoned 19th Century cottage on the Delapre estate in Northampton.

The cottage, which will form part of a new wellbeing hub, is due to be completed by the end of May.

Victoria, who is studying multi-skills, said she hoped her involvement would help her to land an apprenticeship which she said would "really benefit" her career.

"There's not many of us girls in the industry." said Victoria. "It [the Delapre project] is proving that we can be in construction."

About 100 Northampton College students have been involved in various aspects of the work since it began in November last year.

BBC/Qays Najim A teenage girl with dark hair scraped back in a ponytail stands in an empty room with light blue walls. She is wearing a dark jacket with a hi-vis vest on top and holds a spanner in her hands — Molly, a plumbing student at Northampton college, was offered a job after taking part in the renovation project on the Delapre estate

The involvement of young people in the project has already delivered employment opportunities.

Molly, 17, who is studying a plumbing course, has been rewarded with a full-time job after impressing a business owner who supported the project.

Heating engineer Karl Fountain said Molly was "so enthusiastic" that he wanted to offer her a job.

Fountain, founder of Castle Climate Control, said Molly was "the first there, the last to leave. Everything I asked her to do... she watched and then carried on doing it."

"We find it hard to find new staff, there's a massive skills shortage in our industry."

Molly, who will complete her course next month, said the opportunity to work on the cottage was "hands on" and something she had "always wanted to do".

She said: "I was excited to do it... I had never done anything like this before."

BBC/ Qays Najim A man with light coloured hair and a short moustache and beard stands in a light room. He wears a black jacket and orange high-visibility vest. — Karl Fountain, a heating engineer, said there is a skills shortage in the sector

Mark Bradshaw, a curriculum manager for construction at Northampton College, said it had been "the best experience all round" and thanked "amazing teachers and industry partners who have supported our students to get us this far".

Bradshaw said that at least 10 students have so far secured apprenticeships or work as a result of their work on the project.

"As far as I'm aware there is no other project like this in the country...and hopefully the first of many to come," he said.

BBC/Qays Najim A man in black T-shirt and fleece with very short dark hair smiles at the camera in front of a brick building and a sign which reads "Northampton College Construction students refurbishment works". — Mark Bradshaw from Northampton College said at least 10 students involved in the restoration have secured an apprenticeship or employment

Delapre Abbey Preservation Trust (DAPT) received £3m from the Lottery Heritage Fund to transform the house and nearby stables into a community wellbeing hub.

Amanda Nicols-Polinska, DAPT's deputy chief executive, said the property - gardener's cottage number two - had been abandoned for more than a decade.

"It's been a joy to see it come to fruition, amazing to see the students confidence grow and the pride in what they're doing," she said.

"The goal was to give the students real-life experiences while supporting the heritage skills gap and its doing exactly that."