Charley Walker

26-year-old Charley is in the fourth and final year of her Installation and Maintenance Electrician Advanced Apprenticeship with Newcastle College University Centre and Dalkia.

Tell us a bit about you and your background

I achieved a BA Hons in Stage Management in 2020 and then the world immediately shut down, including the whole world of theatre. I came home and was offered a position as an apprentice just to try it out and have something to do while on furlough and immediately fell in love with it.

I'd wanted to go into being an Electrician when I was 16 however I was told by a male teacher in my high school that it "wasn't for girls" and unfortunately I believed him. However I'm here now and thoroughly enjoying it!

How do you feel that your apprenticeship is benefitting you?

I now have an immense amount of confidence in my ability to try anything. I've learnt so many life skills that allow me to support my family and friends by helping them out with things they might struggle with without the general contracting knowledge I have.

I think it's also brilliant to be able to bring more women into the trades and prove that it doesn't have to be a boys only club! We've got a long way to go before it's close to equal and I still experience a good amount of sexism, but I'm happy to be part of the solution.

What do you enjoy the most about your apprenticeship?

Learning how to understand complex systems and looking at how to solve problems, especially when it comes to testing installations and diagnosing any faults.