Just two years after leaving sixth form, Emily Jacob is overseeing housebuilding sites across the East Midlands, thanks to her apprenticeship run by training company Performance Through People (PTP).

Emily, from Derby, had initially been expected to follow her brother to university, but she chose an apprenticeship in building and construction instead, keen to forge her own path.

Then aged 18, she was recruited by the East Midlands Housing Group (EMH) as an apprentice project manager, with her training handled through Midlands-based PTP Training, part of the BCTG Group.

Emily said: “I finished my A-level studies at the start of Covid-19, which was an abrupt end to my education.

“I was always unsure if university was the right next step for me and had been interested in apprenticeships as an alternative.

“I felt it would suit my learning style more through it being more hands-on. This was the main benefit – as well as earning money while getting a qualification.”

EMH is one of the largest providers of affordable homes and support services in the East Midlands, with 19,000 homes across more than 40 local authority areas.

Supported by her PTP tutor Jim Hillman, Emily embarked on her training at an increasing number of building sites across the region and recently completed her apprenticeship with top marks, achieving a Distinction in her End Point Assessment.

Six months before she completed her apprenticeship EMH offered Emily the role of project officer and she is now responsible for overseeing a number of housing projects across the East Midlands, working with leading housebuilding companies.

Mark Roe, head of delivery at EMH Homes, said: “The selection of Emily Jacob for our development Project Manager apprentice role has been hugely successful and surpassed all expectations.

“Emily has emersed herself in the role and the organisation with total commitment, becoming a fundamental member of the team and has already seen progression within the job role to becoming a permanent project manager.

“We are sure with her continued drive and willingness to learn and grow Emily will have a long and excellent career.”

Emily said: “Initially I was shadowing other project managers but then I started to be given my own projects to look after.

“It’s a big responsibility, helping deliver affordable homes for families, and it was a bit intimidating to start with but I grew in confidence, supported by my tutor Jim – I don’t think I would have done anything like as well without him.”

As well as studying at home and online, Emily has spent time on sites, gaining technical and practical knowledge of construction work and is now considering additional qualifications or a degree to pursue her chosen career.

She added: “I hope I can inspire other young women to get into construction and housing.”

“I would recommend an apprenticeship to anyone as the best way to get a qualification while gaining experience in the industry you want to work in.”

Rob Colbourne, chief executive of PTP Training, said: “Emily is an excellent example of a young person who has seized the opportunity of an apprenticeship to impress her employer and launch a promising career for herself.

“PTP is proud to have helped in her success and delighted with the positive impact she is having at EMH, a forward-thinking organisation that has embraced apprenticeships to build its workforce.”

Ends (554 words)

For further information, please contact:

Gill Durkin, business executive, PTP Training, Essex Terrace, Intown, Walsall, West Midlands WS1 1SQ. Telephone: 03332 408302 Email: gilld@ptp-training.co.uk Website: www.ptp-training.co.uk

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Note to editors:

PTP Training Ltd is part of the BCTG Group, a West Midlands-based training organisation which supports almost 10,000 young people and adults each year.

The group has ten sites in Birmingham, the Black Country, Staffordshire and Newcastle-under-Lyme, and also includes The Apprenticeship Works, BCTG Ltd, Eurosource Solutions and Further Training.

Overall, the group offers 166 different types of apprenticeship, 84 different adult upskilling and reskilling courses and 27 pre-apprenticeship programmes for 16 to 18-year-olds. These include everything from healthcare and early years care to construction, engineering, manufacturing and logistics, through to business skills in IT, management and team leading.