Name: Larisa Frangulea
Job title: Level 4 apprentice site manager and apprentice champion, Berkeley Group
What I do: I am a Level 4 site management apprentice at Woodberry Down. The key aspects of my job are ensuring compliance with safety standards and ensuring the contractors and trades maintain the high standards we need to deliver a quality end product.
Why I got into the property industry: When I was in primary school, I wanted to be an architect. I think that came from a desire to have an impact on the world around me. However, after completing some work experience with an architectural practice I realised that my interest was more in the site management side of things. Everything has worked out though, as my career gives me the chance to have the impact I always wanted.
How I did it: After exploring what was available, I applied for a Level 3 logistics management apprenticeship with occupational works supervision. I was successful in getting on to the programme and I was so interested about seeing what I could do in this area that I ended up leaving sixth form to pursue the apprenticeship route with Berkeley Group. I completed that 14 month course and went on to the HNC Level 4 construction apprenticeship which I will complete in September this year. I am thankful to have a family who was supportive and willing go on this journey with me. The concept was quite new to them. It took me six months to get my parents to understand that even though I wasn’t going into a school or college building, I would still be receiving training, and I would be progressing towards an excellent career. I’ve been on this path for almost three years and I don’t regret anything! I love my job and I love what I do.
My first proper job: I was 17 years old when I joined Berkeley Group, so this is technically my first proper job.
My first big break: I think it was the moment I realised I had successfully made it onto the Level 3 course because in reality, I was only applying to test the idea and to see how the interview process worked – then apply ‘properly’ after sixth form was over. I remember it so clearly. I was on holiday, and I got a call from Stav, one of the team, after the interview process. She let me know that I had been successful and had a place on the programme. In that moment there was no hesitation, I realised then that I wanted to start the apprenticeship now, not in a year’s time!
My inspiration(s): There is a site manager here at Woodberry Down called Jordan Barnard. She used to be in the army and has transitioned into construction. She manages people so well, shows continual resilience and just delivers and that really inspires me. As a woman, she has a great way of operating in an industry that has historically been male dominated. People like Jordan are proof of what is possible for women at the highest level. One of my key motivations at work is to make my younger self – who had a lot of self-doubt – proud. I want to continue to make it clear that a young woman like me can also work on-site and join the industry and do wonderful things. Our gender shouldn’t limit our dreams. The construction industry is gradually becoming more diverse and I’m glad to be part of that. It’s been accepted for a while that women make a big impact in land, planning and quantity surveying, but we make a big impact on-site too!
The biggest challenge I’ve encountered to date: The biggest challenge as an apprentice is finding the right balance between your full-time job, studying, and your personal life. On the days when you have an issue at work, you can’t take that home with you. On the days when you have an issue in your studies, you can’t take that to work. Also I’ve slowly learned to balance things and break my workload down so that I don’t feel overwhelmed. I really want all future apprentices to understand that given that we have assignments and coursework it’s impossible to be perfectly across everything 100% of the time, having early conversations with your line manager can help to smooth out these points of difficulty.
My greatest achievement/proudest moment to date: A major achievement was receiving the trust of my team to oversee an entire block in September 2024. They showed me that all my efforts had been seen and they knew that I could do it. This involved everything from health and safety, liaising with trades regarding the amount of labour and materials on-site and ensuring we hit specific milestones. As the site’s apprentice champion, I also tried to accommodate as many apprentices as possible within my block so they could learn something useful and feel seen.
The biggest misconception people have about the construction industry: There is a misconception I’ve heard: that only people that couldn’t get better jobs or have lower aspirations for themselves go and work on-site. If people saw how much knowledge, qualifications and training each trade must have they would be amazed. There are so many regulations and guidelines that each trade has to adhere to. Construction is a massively skilled profession.
My biggest bugbear about the industry/the one thing I would change about the industry: It’s great to see in Berkeley Group, people working at the highest level, who started in the same place as I am now. Something that needs to change is the idea that apprenticeships are for people who ‘can’t get into’ university. Instead, they are a clear route for people who want practical insights and real-world professional training.
Why I’m so passionate about DE&I: I am passionate about DE&I as it is an advantage to have different people on-site seeing things with different perspectives. As we all pitch in together, we will come up with different solutions to the range of challenges and obstacles that we face on-site. What someone sees as a massive issue, I may see as a minor blip. It’s for reasons like this that we need to include a range of ideas and backgrounds. As long as individuals meet the criteria, they should be welcomed.
Why I’m so passionate about ESG: The construction industry is massive. If we don’t consider the impact, we have on the environment then the impact on the wider society will be massive. Look out of your window – there are so many cranes across London! Building is a major undertaking, and that means there are a lot of risks, ground contamination, site waste and vehicle pollution. In my current role I’m looking for ways to help the different trades to recycle as much as they can and to put controls in place for the disposal of hazardous materials.
Where I’d like to be in five years’ time career-wise: In five years, I’d like to be a senior site manager because I’ve seen what it’s like to oversee a single block, in a senior role I’d be able to use those skills on a bigger level. Something else that attracts me to that role is the influence you can have in helping and guiding other people. When I am in that role, I’d also hope to be able to work with apprentices and ensure that they have the same kinds of opportunities I received.
Who I’d invite, living or dead, to a dinner party: I’d invite either Amy Winehouse or Princess Diana, as I would want to speak to them and see how they viewed the world. Then as a niche answer, maybe someone who worked in construction in the 1900s, just to understand how they experienced working with minimal safety requirements and a different understanding of what good looks like.
What I do in my downtime: If I have downtime at work, I usually use it plan the future workload or progress my coursework. When I leave work, I am quite an active person, so I might spend some time at the gym or play some tennis.
The job I’d be doing if I was not doing this: I would perhaps been at university studying quantity surveying as maths and numbers always came naturally to me.
My advice for someone just starting out: Never be scared to ask questions, people want to support you. It’s important to build a supportive team around you, but the key thing is to use them. Everyone has had to start somewhere, no one just pulls knowledge out of thin air, so they will understand. Also don’t hesitate to dream bigger and bigger. When we put our minds to something we will get it, so don’t be afraid to push yourself.
My motto/mantra: Never be afraid to dream! There will always be ups and downs, but my dreams for tomorrow definitely keep me moving forward.
The 10-14 February 2025 is National Apprenticeship Week. Click here to find out more details about the initiative.
