Lauren's Story

Meet Lauren our Apprentice Electrician

Our organisation has a strong culture of passing on knowledge to youngsters, supporting their development and career. What a better highlight of what Skills For Life means for us, than over 200 apprentices recruited over the past 15 years including 71 former apprentices who chose to pursue their career with us.

About 6 months ago, we’ve welcomed 11 new apprentices. Spread across our Housing, People Development, Plumbing, Electrical, Bricklaying, Plastering, Estate Services, and ICT Service Desk departments, each of them work daily with their mentor and teams to learn, development those Skills For Life, and ultimately successfully complete their apprenticeship.

For some of them, an apprenticeship is an open door to reach a dream. It’s the case for Lauren Lashley, our Apprentice Electrician who shares it with us. Becoming a woman in trade has always been an aspiration for her. Even with the challenge of not having representations, and examples of women working in trade, she always kept that ambition in the back of her mind, and is purposing that dream. Now, that she is fulfilling that dream with us, she’d like to become an ambassador for women in that sector. An inspiring example of EDI in action! Well done Lauren!

“I really identify with the Housing People, Helping People culture and values. It’s something I believe in, and that’s why I definitely wanted to work at Bernicia. I love my colleagues, it’s a great company to work for with a day-to-day job I love. It’s such a satisfying feeling being able to help people. I love meeting our tenants, and their pets, as well as the variety of the job, it’s great.

I was so pleased when I’ve found out that there was another woman working in my Electrical Team. Sarah Boyle is great, and I very much enjoy pairing with her for some of the work I do. She is an amazing support, and so is Sean Watson my manager.

Once I pass all my qualification, I’d love to support our Employability Team, and to do employment events, going to schools and talk to the younger generations. For me it would be about speaking to young girls, and telling them that a career in trade is an option because it’s not something I was shown in school when I was younger.”