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Case studies

Finding A Work Placement – Carpentry 2

Added: 18 February 2008. Last updated: 25 April 2008.

Hazel Belfon, Carpenter

Maybe Hazel Belfon has always had an inner Carpenter, waiting to get out. When asked where she thinks her interest in the trade first came from, she says “it’s more or less always been there, because I’ve always done stuff with my hands. I’ve knitted, drawn, sewing” But if her skill and interest was there before her training, it might not always have been reflected in carpentry work she tried at home – “I put laminated flooring down in my whole house, and I put up a couple of shelves- but they didnt really want to stay up! If I knew then what I know now...!“

About four years ago Hazel left her office job at a print company to take up an NVQ in Carpentry and Joinery at the College of North East London (CONEL). She became the only woman on her course, although on a recent return visit she noticed that things were starting to change. “Theres about four women in one class at the moment.I thought it was just fantastic to see them there.”

So what did she make of her training? Hazel says the only real challenge was “on the mathematical side .when you havent done maths for a while you lose it. So trying to get it back again which was challenging. But it was good, it was good fun.“

Hazel found out about Women and Manual Trades through one of her lecturers at college. She got in touch and joined the Building Work for Women programme. After pre-placement training, she went on work experience at building site St George’s - and found it a bit surprising. “It was nothing like I expected. On a typical building site, you expect all the men to be really rowdy, and that kind of stuff. But it was nothing like thatIt was really good. They were really helpful people.“ She especially enjoyed learning from a carpenter she worked with regularly. “He was very very good – a very talented man. He showed me all the little tricks and stuff...he was brilliant.”

Hazels placement also gave her the chance to try working with new types of materials. “We had to do some steps outside, on one of the flats. And it was made out of a wood called Iroko. Its a lovely hardwood. I hadnt heard of it until then“.

For Hazel, its these materials that make carpentry her dream job, and “my first love“. “I just love working with the wood. Just knowing the different things that you can make with wood.“ She advises anyone aiming to enter the trade to “just love what you do. Love wood!“

So hows DIY changed for Hazel now? She prides herself on recently having laid laminate flooring for a friend, in a very large and oddly-shaped hallway. The job was “a lot of work“, but satisfying – “It was like Wow, I did that!” And whatever happened to those shelves that didnt want to stay up? “Since then I have put them back up, because I know how to do it properly now!”