When Aleks started her level three business BTec at Bedford College, she had no idea where it would lead her, but two years on and she’s just become a full-time member of the Ashe team.

Ashe was working on a 15 month, £10.5m decarbonisation and recladding project at Bedford College Tower when the site team approached the college to find out if they had any students that needed work experience.

Providing work experience places for students can be a real challenge for further and higher education providers so the college leapt at the chance to identify a student who would fit the bill.

Ross Thomson, account manager at Bedford College explains: “We really need companies like Ashe to help us provide work placements. If there are 30 students in a class, we need 30 appropriate work placements and that’s a lot of companies to find. Companies like Ashe help the learning and students’ understanding of their industries, and that’s really important to prepare them for their future careers.”

Aleks found herself starting the 360 work experience hours necessary to complete her course, working with Ashe at her own college. Every Tuesday she provided business support to the team. Her responsibilities ranged from checking subcontractors’ certificates to uploading important documents into the IT system, filing, scanning, photocopying and organising drawings, all essential elements of the whole construction process.

When the project at Bedford College was complete, Aleks continued her work placement by moving to Ashe’s project at Sandy School where she is now working on an £11.5m project to provide a new ICT suite, food technology facilities and classrooms.

Having complete her course at Bedford College, Aleks has been offered a full-time permanent role with Ashe providing business support and assisting a site manager.

She says one of her most challenging tasks has been to separate snagging lists for subcontractors and no two days are the same: “I really enjoy the working environment. I meet new people everyday and there’s lots of variety.  I think that Ashe really values its employees.”

Project manager, Danny Roberts, welcomed her by saying: “It’s lovely to see young people joining us from the educational establishments that we are helping to improve. It’s even better when they complete their studies and join us as permanent colleagues. Aleks is doing a great job. She’s learning about all the critical details necessary for the construction process and supporting the site team in many ways such as carrying out induction audits, issuing snagging lists, process checklists and a variety of other administrative tasks. She’s an asset to the team and has even brought in homemade brownies!”

Aleks is currently going through the induction process to ensure she understands all of the company’s procedures and can access the technology she needs to help her with her work.

When asked where she sees herself in five years’ time, she says she hopes to see herself progressing through the ranks at Ashe.