Rosie Aged 20 From Preston Talks About Starting a Career In Construction, And How She Wants To Encourage More Females Into The Sector

Rosie Coyle – Level 4 Construction Management apprenticeship

A long-held passion for building and construction was behind Rosie Coyle from Preston's decision to pursue an apprenticeship with the UK's leading manager and developer of retirement communities.

After almost a year and a half with McCarthy Stone, working on some of its new state-of-the-art retirement living developments in areas right across the region, including Liverpool and Greater Manchester, Rosie has now made the move to work at Jessiefield Court, a Retirement Living development coming soon to Didsbury.

Rosie, 20, started her level 4 construction site supervisor apprenticeship in September 2022 after completing her A-levels, and is loving the variety of the course and the different perspectives it brings.

Today, with a year and a half under her belt to date, Rosie will be working closely with the Senior Site team to oversee the construction of the 26 one and two-bedroom low-maintenance apartments on Spath Road.

Reflecting on her path to becoming an Apprentice with McCarthy Stone, Rosie said:

"I changed my mind a lot when I was younger, about what I wanted to do with my career. I'd been around building sites in the past and had been fascinated by the process. I began looking into apprenticeships and it became clear this was the right path for me.

"As a girl at a very academically focused school, a career in construction was perhaps an unusual choice - but I'm loving it and I've no regrets."

Rosie continued:

"I love the fact that in the construction industry you can see the difference and the progress you are making. You can experience the complete lifespan of a project, from acquisition of a piece of land, right through to completion and new homeowners moving in; and when you're on site you can see the build progress day by day."

Rosie's reasons for choosing an apprenticeship rather than another learning path were clear and simple:

"I learn best while working on the job. Working alongside learning means I am able to pick things up quicker."

"It's also helping me develop my communication and problem-solving skills, while I'm able to gain valuable knowledge by asking questions of the experts as I go."

Rosie chose McCarthy Stone to apply for an apprenticeship due to their strong reputation in the sector.

"McCarthy Stone are a well-established company and therefore I knew I would be learning from people with great knowledge. I also liked the ethos of the company. Creating communities for the elderly that allow them to live independently for as long as possible, and where they have easy access to support, and with an increasingly ageing population, we need to build more of this type of housing to better cater to their needs."

Rosie thinks more female students would consider a career in construction if they knew about all the options available.

"I have come across lots of women during my training with McCarthy Stone, who are hugely successful within the field. I'm really enjoying my apprenticeship and would encourage other girls to consider construction as a worthwhile career. There are so many diverse roles that you can do and so much opportunity to build on these skills and qualifications."

Once complete, Jessiefield Court will consist of Retirement Living apartments with state-of-the-art facilities designed to enable the over 60s to enjoy maximum independence during retirement. Many of the apartments will have patios and balconies, while all will benefit from access to the communal spaces, including a well-appointed lounge, large landscape gardens, and a handy hotel-style guest suite.

A 24/7 emergency call system and door-camera entry will give homeowners reassurance and peace of mind, while a House Manager will be on-site during office hours to oversee the day-to-day running of the development. Properties will be available to purchase outright.

More than nine out of ten customers would recommend McCarthy Stone to a friend, ensuring it has received the full Five Star award for customer satisfaction from the Home Builders Federation. McCarthy Stone is the only UK housebuilder of any size or type to achieve this rating every year it has taken part in the survey.

For further details on Retirement Living at Jessiefield Court in Didsbury, please call 0800 882 1829 or visit www.mccarthystone.co.uk/jessiefield-court.