Lisa wins national construction award

Published by Laura Beckett for Halton Housing Trust in Housing

Halton Housing Trust’s only female electrician has won a national Women in Construction award.

Lisa McKenna, 40, beat off strong competition from women around the country to be crowned Best Apprentice/New Starter Over 25 at the Women in Construction Awards last Wednesday evening. Held at Lancashire County Cricket Club, the awards celebrate the best female achievers in the house building and wider construction industries.

Mother of three Lisa was thrilled to win, saying: “I was really shocked - it was a great surprize. I just want to inspire other women and show them that they can shape their career. It doesn’t matter what background or circumstances you are in because anything can be achieved if you put your mind to it. I’d thoroughly recommend apprenticeships to anyone, at any age.”

Noel Sharpe, Executive Director of Customer Services, said: “Everyone at the Trust is so happy for Lisa. She has worked so hard to get where she is and she’s a shining example to other women. She is a great asset to our team and other females in the industry.”

Lisa spent the majority of her career as an office manager but after her divorce ten years ago she had to quit a well paid job to look after her three children, aged five, nine and 13 at the time.

After two years without a job, Lisa attended an electrical taster day at Riverside College after learning that she was a dab hand at anything electrical.  This led her to apply for an Apprentice Electrician’s job at the Trust, where she beat off 30 other applicants to be offered the role.

Lisa knew that providing for her family on an apprentice’s wage would be difficult but she was determined to make her wage stretch.  Lisa said, “I had to become the breadwinner and find a new career. I started doing DIY at home because I had to but found I was good at it – before I started my apprenticeship I could barely change a plug!”