The first ever female winner of the Skills Build awards was awarded at this year’s Skills Build awards, as Demi-Leigh Graham won the Joinery New Entrant category.
CITB writes:
Demi-Leigh Graham was ‘amazed’ when she became the first woman to win a prestigious newcomers award at SkillBuild – and says she will be in it to win it next year too.
The 17-year-old from Whitefield, Greater Manchester, was named regional winner of the Joinery New Entrant category during the 2015 construction skills competition. ‘I am definitely going back to SkillBuild next year,’ says Demi-Leigh, who is studying carpentry and joinery at Bury College. ‘I don’t know if I’ll win but I’ll definitely give it a go!’
The SkillBuild 2015 North West heat took place at Stockport College. The challenge was to build a wooden frame using different kinds of joints in just four hours.
‘I was nervous at the beginning, but when I finished I knew I’d done a good job,’ says Demi-Leigh. ‘I was amazed when I won and felt really happy.’
Demi-Leigh decided on a building career after studying for a Construction GCSE at Castlebrook High School. She started her NVQ Level 1 at college in September and hopes to continue studying construction at university. ’I am thinking of architectural model-making as a career,’ she says. ‘I really enjoy construction because it’s all hands-on. It isn’t like school. It’s practical and I prefer that.’
Demi-Leigh says more young women are joining the construction industry and is proud of being the first female to scoop the New Entrant title. ‘There are only three women in my class of 18 but more women are interested in construction careers and my friends aren’t surprised by what I do,’ she says. ‘It’s difficult for a woman in a competition because it tends to be all guys, so you do feel you’re under pressure and people are looking at you. That’s why I was so proud to have proved myself.’
Demi-Leigh couldn’t wait to tell her grandad the good news about her success. He was a joiner before he retired and she is following in his footsteps. ‘I rang my grandad in Cornwall to tell him I’d won and he was really pleased,’ says Demi-Leigh.
‘When I was growing up I remember seeing the things he made, including a fish tank and some cupboards, and thinking it looked an interesting job. I was right!’
