Hi, I’m Sunny Tsankova, a 15-year-old school student currently studying towards my GCSE’s.
I chose to do my work experience with CFS because I’m not exactly sure what career I want to go into yet, and I thought it would be a great opportunity to learn about a big, hands-on industry like construction.
Throughout the week, I explored various parts of the business and met people in roles ranging from health and safety and site management to carpentry and project direction. It showed me how many different career options exist within the industry and how everyone contributes to a successful project.
As part of my experience, I created a series of short content videos and took photos to capture what I learned and observed, I was also interviewed by the team.—these are included below.
Everyone at CFS made me feel welcome and supported, and this week has given me a much clearer idea of the career possibilities out there. I hope you enjoy the content and find it as interesting as I found creating it!
Student Insight from Sunny Tsankova
Background & Expectations
What made you choose CFS for your work experience?
“I chose to do my work experience with CFS because I’m not exactly sure what career I want to go into yet, and I thought it would be a great opportunity to learn about a big, hands-on industry like construction. CFS stood out because they offer a wide range of roles, and I was curious to see what goes on behind the scenes.”.
Expectations vs Reality
How was your work experience different from what you expected?
“Before starting, I thought work experience might be boring and mostly involve sitting at a desk and typing. However, it turned out to be quite the opposite. I travelled to different locations, visited real (live) construction sites, and met many people working in a variety of roles”.
Women in Construction
Did your experience change how you view the role of women in construction?
“I had always thought construction was a male-dominated industry, but on my first day I met Lamara, the Regional Health & Safety Advisor, and also saw other female operatives working on site. This showed me that women do have a place in construction”.
Digital Content & Creativity
What did you enjoy most about working on social media and website content?
“One of the things I found interesting was learning to update the company website and social media pages. I helped create content for Instagram and the company’s Latest News section, which I found enjoyable and creative”.
Health & Safety
What health and safety training have you completed?
“I’ve learned loads about health and safety while at CFS. I got to observe H&S auditing on a live construction site, and I also saw how face fit testing is carried out. I completed a few online training courses and earned certificates for them. I learned how important risk assessments are and even signed a Young Person’s Risk Assessment that was specifically created for me during my time here”.
Communication Skills
How have you developed your communication skills during your placement?
“As part of my work experience, I prepared questions and interviewed CFS staff about their experiences in construction. At first, I felt nervous because I’m not very confident speaking to new people, but after talking to a couple of people, I gained confidence and was able to approach others without feeling anxious. This experience really helped me improve my communication skills. I also completed an online course on Communication Skills, which gave me useful techniques for active listening and speaking more clearly”.
Final Thoughts
Would you recommend work experience in construction to your friends, and why?
“I would recommend to my friends and peers that they consider doing their work experience with a construction company. My time at CFS has shown me that young people, whether male or female, can start a career in construction as apprentices. They can learn valuable skills while earning, and have opportunities to progress into more senior roles over time”.
