Woody Street from London South East Colleges (Bromley Campus) completed his internship at Gardiner & Theobald, where he’s now an apprentice. Read how his internship experience transformed his career aspirations and kickstarted his future.
Before starting his internship at Gardiner & Theobald, Woody was unsure about what he wanted to do for his career.
“I was very conflicted with what career path I wanted to go down. When I left school at 16, I wanted to be an electrician, however through the guidance of my careers adviser, I decided to enrol on a Level 3 Construction and Built Environment Course, which focused more on the managerial and design aspects of construction.”
An experience that changed everything
Woody completed an internship at construction consultancy Gardiner & Theobald as part of the Career Ready programme, and it shifted his perspective on his future completely. It’s also where he’s now working on their apprenticeship programme!
“My internship was a real eye opener for me. I had never worked in an office environment, and during my time at school I always preferred practical subjects such as D&T and PE, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I didn’t think that I would be as involved as I was and, honestly, was shocked at how much work I was trusted to do. I’ve never been one to shy away from a challenge, so this was a welcomed surprise and allowed me to truly gauge what working as a project manager was like.”
During his internship, Woody met a range of people across the company and wider industry, something that motivated him to keep working hard.
“One piece of advice I always carry with me is that if you surround yourself with good people, then you will succeed. Gardiner & Theobald offered this in abundance – everyone I spoke to encouraged me to work to the best of my abilities, and this really allowed my enthusiasm for the construction industry to grow.”
The pandemic meant that Woody wasn’t able to undertake work experience while at school, and his internship gave him the chance to experience the post-Covid workplace.
“The Career Ready programme has allowed me to see a different side to the working world, which changed so dramatically after the pandemic. It was amazing to see how people have adjusted to the new ways of working and it was also interesting to compare this to the work I completed during lockdown while completing my GCSEs over Teams etc.”
A new perspective on the future
Woody’s experience of the construction industry has made him rethink his plans for the future, and find a passion for project management.
“Before this internship I never saw myself working in consultancy or project management as I was always encouraged to pick up a trade by my friends and family. I wanted to be an electrician and run my own company one day, but after this internship my mind has been changed completely.”
Reflecting on how his internship and the Career Ready programme has changed his career path – and how paid internships can help other young people – Woody feels that he’s had access to an experience he wouldn’t have had at school.
“Without my internship, I wouldn’t be in the position I am now. An internship has the ability to open so many doors for young people, because most of us don’t know what career we want to do. By having the opportunity to actually work for an organisation you can see whether it could be the career for you whilst also accessing priceless advice you may not get at school or college.
I will never be able to thank Career Ready enough as the whole experience has changed my life forever, and I know how cliché that can sound but honestly it has! From working as a labourer to now becoming an apprentice PM at one of the largest consultancies is something I never saw coming and hopefully Career Ready will continue their brilliant work and change someone else’s life like they have mine.”
