Building a solid future

More and more young people are swerving university in favour of apprenticeships.

- 

Jessica Richardson, 20, from Lincoln, is one of them and is loving life as a Level 2 bricklaying apprentice with Barratt Homes.How did you end up here? I left school in June 2022 when I was 16. I never really considered university, if I'm honest. The student debt side of it really put me off, especially when the jobs I was interested in didn't require a degree.

I'd also heard a lot of stories from people who went to university, built up debt and then struggled to find work afterwards. I liked the idea of getting straight into something practical, earning money and building real experience from the start.

Why did you choose bricklaying? I've always loved being outdoors and keeping active - I'm not someone who enjoys sitting still all day. I like working with my hands and seeing physical results at the end of the day.

My dad was a bricklayer when he was younger before moving into construction management, so I grew up around the industry. I think that influenced me and made it feel like a natural path.