At some point in your construction career it might dawn on you that you’ve passed the point of getting your hands dirty. You may even ask yourself: will I ever go back on the tools?
Well a couple of senior executives have decided that’s a definite yes – and all for a good cause.
The two leading female figures from Scotland’s home building industry have just returned from creating a home for a vulnerable family in Mumbai, raising over £10,000 in the process to support charity Habitat for Humanity.
Chief Executive of trade body Homes for Scotland Nicola Barclay and colleague Gill Henry, of Cruden Homes, joined 11 other women on the week-long trip.
It was no holiday. Their sleeves-up mission was to build a new home for a family of four designed to withstand the monsoon season.
This shelter would also allow the family’s two children to study in a safe, dry place.
Nicola said: “We may still have mud on our boots, brick dust under our nails and aching muscles, but myself and the Women Build team are proud in the knowledge our efforts have contributed to giving a family a fresh start.
“Working in remote hillsides with a tribal community which has to collect water from a well, deliver hand-made bricks to site on the back of bullock carts and share one latrine, really put our support into context.
“The children of these families have hopes and dreams beyond primary education and our assistance in providing them a sustainable home will help to realise their ambitions.”
Gill Henry, Head of Business Development at Cruden, said: “Like Nicola, I feel extremely privileged to have had the opportunity to meet and work alongside such a fantastic but very isolated community.
“The sense of community, respect, hard work and support we experienced is something I will treasure forever and I’d encourage anyone thinking about taking part in a build to get out there and do it. It’s an experience of a lifetime.”
It just goes to show, you should never think hands-on skills are no longer needed.
Getting back to basics might be just the boost your career needs . . . and could transform lives.
And for those yet to climb the career ladder in construction, every day on s1jobs there are opportunities to get started.
There’s a big demand for bricklayers, plasterers, electricians and other skilled trades to meet the need for new homes.
One day you could be among the senior executives who find themselves on site in amazing charity projects.
For all the latest Construction vacancies visit s1jobs.com