Carpentry and joiner modern apprenticeship

Linda Johnston is the first female to complete a carpentry and joiner modern apprenticeship, through the Construction Industry Training Board and Orkney College.

Linda Johnston really is a chip off the old block - following in the footsteps of a number of relatives.

It came as no surprise to parents, Jimmy and Susan, when the 21-year-old announced that she was going to train as a carpenter and joiner.

Joining a class of 15 males could have been a little daunting for some young women.

But not for Linda, of Harray, who is within striking distance of completing a four-year carpentry and joiner modern apprenticeship, through the Construction Industry Training Board and Orkney College.

She is the first female ever to take up the opportunity through the College, something that senior lecturer, Eric Ploughman, admits caused a few worries at the outset.

"Throughout her time at college, Linda has been an exemplary student", he said.

"We were a little apprehensive as she would be in a class of 15 males as to how she would cope".

"However, we feel that she has coped really well - completing her SVQ and advanced carpentry and joinery courses".

Linda says she cannot be certain where her inkling towards a male dominated career came from, but believes it may have something to do with her family.

She said, "The only thing I can think of is that there are a lot of tradesmen in the family".

"My dad is a mason and I have an uncle and cousin who are joiners".

But even at school, Linda enjoyed the practical side of lessons".

"I have spent some time with my uncle helping him make stairs".

"He would show me how to measure things and then I would have a go".

A standard grade craft and design course at school helped decide Linda's future vocation, allowing her to try her hand at wood work".

"That involved a lot of wood work", she said.

"I made a coffee table which is still used at home".

By fourth year, Linda had made up her mind that she wanted to learn carpentry and joinery as a trade.

However, she took the decision to stay on at school and complete fifth and sixth year, gaining Higher passes in Maths, English, Geography and Art".

""I wanted to have that as a back-up", Linda continued.

The apprenticeship has meant spending much of the past four years on building sites with Orkney Builders (Contractors) , a member of principal employers' federation Scottish Building, after they agreed to take her on".

"I could be up on roofs, down to finishing or hanging doors".

"When I started I was physically very tired every night but I seem to have got over that".

A number of block release periods were spent at Orkney College studying both the theory and practical sides of the skill.

Despite the odd sideways glance or double take, Linda says she has fitted in well in what is a male dominated world".

"It did worry me a bit the fact that there was 15 other boys in the class".

"I didn't know how they would act towards me".

"I did worry about being an outsider".

"But I was accepted as an equal".

College lecturer and instructor, Alan Brough, confirmed that Linda simply became 'one of the boys'.

He has worked at the college in a part-time capacity for the past 18 years but never teaching a woman".

"Everyone seemed to fit in", Alan said.

"I thought at the beginning 'this is going to be different', but it was fine".

"Linda was very keen and interested which makes a difference".

However, despite going to become a fully fledged joiner/carpenter in August when she completes SVQ level three, Linda has high hopes of going on to study quantity surveying".

"I am hoping to go to Inverness and study part-time and I think having worked on a building site it will help me".

She has no regrets about her career path and encouraged other young women to take up the challenge".

"I would love more girls to do it, I think that would make it much easier for all women who are in a male dominated trade".

"I would not have changed what I have done for anything".

"I have really enjoyed it".

"The modern apprenticeship has given me a lot of choices that I would not have had otherwise".

Linda continued, "I went sailing on a tall ship, the Prince William, for two weeks, which is for people on modern apprenticeships".

Family support has been a tremendous boost for the youngster, who admitted that there were days when the course was tough.

She has also managed to pick up a couple of awards along the way, claiming the overall apprentice of the year title at Orkney College in 2005 and came third overall in a Scotland-wide competition to set out and construct a gallows bracket, run by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and the Scottish Association of Timber Trade Teachers (SATTT).

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