Ibraq Elsiddiq, 23, was born in the Netherlands to Sudanese parents and raised in Birmingham from 2009. She has already lived through more than most, carrying the scars of a difficult childhood. 

“Despite leaving school without GCSEs, I refused to give up. I studied criminal law and civil justice through the Open University, but I wanted to find a path that truly reflects who I am. That’s how I found myself on a construction course after moving to Birmingham.” 

“I wasn’t interested in doing customer service forever. I wanted to try something new — even something I didn’t expect to like.” 

“To my surprise, I found construction not just practical, but empowering. When someone said it’s a man’s job, I said, ‘If a man can do it, a woman can do it.’ That’s how I live.” 

“I’ve really valued the course and my trainer. At first, I didn’t ‘get’ Dawn, but the more I listened, the more I learned. I’ve made friends. I’ve been supported. That’s rare where I come from. I’m the kind of person who says, ‘I failed, can you help me?’ And here, people actually do.” 

“For me, construction isn’t just about learning skills, it’s about building a future that’s truly mine.”