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CIOB Apprentice of the Month: Charlene Saunders, Aspire Defence Services
Charlene Saunders, minor new works project officer, Aspire Defence Services is working towards Level 4 Construction Site Supervisor. Here she talks about being a mature student and balancing work and parenting.
Charlene Saunders. Image: CIOB
Which technological advances in the sector are you most excited about?
A software called Field View, which means contractors could use a tablet out on site and see the buildings. Using it, I had to go to a lot of seminars and learnt a lot about BIM. It's coming along well, they're advancing it even more.
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Digital twins would work really well for us at Aspire, as we both build and maintain.
How has the apprenticeship prepared you for a career in the industry?
When I took on the HNC I thought, oh, I'm just getting a qualification. It's going to help me get a promotion, get a pay rise. But then I started using that knowledge in my everyday work and that's helped increase my confidence when I'm talking to contractors, when I'm out on site, when I'm talking to management, or different departments.
Did you have experience in the industry before you started the apprenticeship?
I've been in and out of construction for about 15 years; this is my second time working for Aspire. I've been a Minor New Works Project Officer for just over three years. Minor new works jobs are all small works, so I didn't necessarily have experience with larger buildings. Now I feel like I've got a lot more knowledge and I can challenge people, especially contractors.
What was your biggest challenge during your apprenticeship?
I'm a single mum to two boys, 10 and 13, so I had to juggle working full time, a day at university and worrying about the kids! I was also a mature student. I'm 43 and when I started the HNC at 41, I hadn't done an exam or written an assignment for about 25 years, so that came as a massive shock. I'd never written an assignment using Harvard referencing, so I had to learn that as well as learning the content of the course. I got it wrong many times but I kept trying. It's hard, and it's going to be hard, but you can't just stop because of that.
What would your dream project to work on in the future be?
I would love to be involved in massive projects from the ground up – hotels, casinos, something that's outside of the norm. Something that uses more sustainable materials, requires different thinking and maybe abroad. My boss was responsible for construction teams building in Dubai, and he's kind of instilled that in my head. I'd love to do something like that.
