Victor Hobbs, 34, from Tipton, is carving out a new career in construction, driven by a deep work ethic, a family legacy, and a determination not to let past setbacks define his future. 

Originally from Birmingham, Victor has tried his hand at everything from retail and warehousing to factory work and merchandising. “I like graft,” he says, “Even though I’m a bit like a noodle. If I can keep my hands busy, it makes the day fly.” As someone who is autistic, Victor appreciates the structure and purpose that physical work brings: “The less time I spend with my own thoughts, the better.” 

But Victor’s road into construction hasn’t been smooth. He’s taken several courses offered through the Jobcentre—ECS, lean manufacturing, and hand tools training, yet received no certificates for any of them. “Each time they offered something, it would fall through. I wasn’t optimistic when I heard about this one either. But this course has been solid.” 

Victor was inspired in part by his father, a civil engineer. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, but I came to it a bit late.” He’s now hoping to pursue plant licences and specialise in civils. “I’ve got a forklift licence and I’m great with paper-based learning. But what I really need is on-site experience.” 

He credits the training team for bringing a sense of encouragement and energy to the course. “Chris is awesome. Under Chris’ guidance, Victor passed his Level 1 with a score of 39 out of 40 and earned 48 out of 50 on his CSCS test. 

Now with qualifications in hand, he’s finally ready to step into the sector he’s long admired. “I just want to be as appealing a prospect as possible,” he says. “This time, it feels like I’m finally on the right track.”