Dawn Stokes, aged 38, from Birmingham  

Mother-of-seven Dawn Stokes is building herself a new career in the construction industry. She had a burning ambition to follow in her father’s footsteps and work as a builder. After his death and the breakdown of her marriage she decided to realise her dream and start training.
“I decided to make positive changes to my life,” she says. “I wanted to be a good role model to my children and make them proud of me. I also wanted to prove to myself that I was capable of being a builder.”
Dawn had to break down many barriers. It was daunting joining a male-dominated environment and her Jobcentre adviser suggested she might be better suited to hairdressing or care. But she stuck to her guns. “It took a lot of persuasion to convince people that I was capable of working in the construction industry,” she says. “But I eventually convinced all those who doubted me.”
She has gained a variety of trade qualifications – including Foundation Construction Award and City & Guilds Skills Test in Bricklaying. She has also taken additional specialist qualifications which will be beneficial to prospective employers. And she has since enrolled on a Plastering course and NVQ Level 2 Bricklaying.
Dawn has now been offered a job at Sandwell College passing on her skills to others.
“I think adult learning is a great way of allowing people to follow their dreams and change their lives,” she says.