Spotlight on Talent – Jemma Cotterill

Studied: T Level in Construction: Design, Surveying and Planning
Progression: Apprentice Civil Engineer with Balfour Beatty VINCI

On finishing her GCSEs in summer 2021, Jemma Cotterill had no idea what she would be studying next.  Or what career she wanted to pursue.

Two years on, her position is very different.

After achieving excellent grades in her Construction T Level course, she is becoming a higher level apprentice with Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV) where she will explore roles in civil engineering.  The opportunity came about following her industry placement with BBV working on High Speed Two.

“Having discovered some of the job roles available in built environment through my course and the industry placement, I’m keen to experience different things such as surveying, structural engineering and earthworks,” said Jemma.  “I’m particularly keen on seeing how drones are used to create images and 3D models.”

Jemma admits she didn’t know much about T Levels before joining Walsall College.  She only found out about them when browsing college courses online at the end of her GCSEs.

She says it felt like ‘a risk’ to be studying this type of qualification while her friends were doing traditional sixth form studies.

“I hadn’t grown up with a definite job in mind and when I was at school, I hadn’t wanted to rush into picking one career over another,” said Jemma.  “I prefer doing what feels right at the time.”

With this approach Jemma advises others leaving school to ‘focus on yourself, not what your friends are doing’ and ‘be brave’.

Jemma continued: “I applied for this course because I wanted do something practical and academic.

“I was really shy when I first started at the college.  And even before my industry placement, I was thinking ‘I should be in school, not going to work’.  But once I was there, I was fine.”

Jemma believes college and BBV have helped her grow in confidence and independence.

She added: “I realised that the more I came across things I didn’t feel comfortable doing such as presentations in front of an audience, the more confident I’d become.

“So that risk that I took with my qualification has put me on a great path to success.”