Meet a trainee: Jess Jonas
Jess kickstarted her journey with Wates after finishing her GCSE’s at 16, starting as a Level 3 Apprentice.
After only being in the business for a year and a half, she was swiftly fast-tracked onto the Level 4 Trainee Programme through the help of the Early Careers Team and the support of her managers.
Jess is now 18 and living in Newbury, Berkshire. Her current role is a Bid Management Trainee for Construction and she finds bid writing and work winning the most rewarding as it drives profit for the whole business. The supportive environment and dedicated Early Careers Team have facilitated her seamless integration into the workforce, while increasing her construction knowledge studying part-time at college for a Level 4 qualification in Site Supervision.
Jess enjoys the diversity of the Trainee Programme by rotating through the various business disciplines such as Site, Design and Commercial Management. These placements help Jess further understand the wider business, to expand her knowledge and broaden her career opportunities.
For those considering an apprenticeship in the construction industry, Jess emphasises the vast career options available, highlighting that roles in construction extend far beyond traditional roles such as bricklaying and carpentry. With the constant mentoring from professional industry experts within her teams, Jess plans to continue to work in Bid Management and develop with Wates and aspires to be promoted to Assistant Bid Manager in the future
