Carly is first girl brickie

A 17-YEAR-old girl is paving the way for women – as the UK’s first girl apprentice bricklayer.

Carly Mason is believed to be the only female candidate to have landed the two-year construction training.

Inspired by her father David, she fell in love with building at a young age.

She said: “It came as a surprise to me that I might be the only female apprentice bricklayer in the country – but I’ll take that.

“I always knew I wanted to work in the construction industry and have worked on projects with my dad, so bricklaying seemed like the path for me.”

Carly said she had no problem being the only girl on the team. She admitted: “Being a young lady at first did kind of daunt me a little bit, but I know everyone now and they are very protective. Everyone is kind and helpful if I need something. I love it working with the lads and getting involved – being part of a team and building houses.”

Carly, from Peterborough, Cambs, said her family and friends were “really proud” of her job. She hopes to one day run her own building firm, and added: “I just want to work hard and earn good money.”

Her success comes after a government scheme encouraged more women to take on construction jobs.

Contract manager John Tack said Carly was inspirational. He added: “Carly is doing exceptionally well and is more than holding her own.

“She is an inspiration to the lads she is working with and gets on with them all.”