Case Study

Claire

Course - Completed HND in Building Studies in Summer 1998.

Current Job - Architectural technician

School - A single sex girls’ school. Gained 7 GCSEs at grade C or above including English, Maths, Single Award Science, Art, and Craft Design Technology (CDT). Favourite subjects were Art and CDT. Stayed at school into Year 12 (6th form) "because I didn’t know what to do". Started a BTEC National Diploma in Child Care but disliked it and left fairly early in Year 12.

Work History - On leaving school, on the advice of a Careers Bradford Careers Adviser who suggested draughting as a career, Claire started Credit Funded Training with a small local training organisation. She was the only woman taken on at the time, and was told "you’ll be on your own". Her training has been made up of several components.

At first she did a 12 week induction. Claire said it was "O.K". "A lot of boys on the training programme were ‘messing about’ but I sat next to someone who took it seriously, and I had a set work station". After the end of the induction period, Claire started the day release BTEC National Certificate in Building Studies course at Bradford College. The college was less structured in terms of the working day, and in terms of seating arrangements. She "hated it at first", telling her mother after the first day that she would "not go back there again". She was the only woman, and "felt very isolated and lonely especially at break times". The boys often "messed about" and she had no set work station. Claire said, "It’s awful when you don’t know anyone". The College was a sharp contrast to her school which had been "a very close community". She said she felt that the boys were reluctant to speak to her, and that it took several weeks before she felt part of her group.

After gaining her National Certificate, Claire went on to do a Higher National Certificate in Building Studies. Later, she was to do the extra units necessary for the Higher National Diploma during periods of part-time work and unemployment following a road accident. She was joined by one other women on the HNC/HND course.

At the same time as attending college, Claire worked in a placement for four days per week. She enjoyed her first placement, a firm of architects in Wakefield. She stayed there for three years, but found the travelling a strain. This was followed, from October 1997 to March 1998, by a period of part-time employment with a company in Haworth. Claire started her present job in June 1998. She is the only female architectural technician amongst six. The three architects are also male. The two secretaries and the accounts clerk are female.

Claire said that unhappiness has not been as much of an issue at work, as it was in the early stages of her time at college. In fact she says that she really enjoys being at her present job, and that "time flies".

Claire said that her mother’s encouragement to stay at college helped her through the difficult period. Her advice to other women entering and experiencing problems in SECT is to "stick at it because it will get better".

Claire’s ambitions for the future include studying for the units she needs to become a member of the British Institute of Architectural Technicians.

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