Single Mum Apprentice Helps Transform Transport in Weston-super-Mare While Building a Career

A local apprentice and single parent is helping to improve transport in Weston-super-Mare while building a new career for herself and her family.

Keri, who lives in North Somerset, is working on the Queensway transport scheme, which aims to make it easier for people to get around, cut congestion and create safer, better-connected routes.

The scheme includes:

• Upgraded junctions and new roundabouts
• Safer crossings for people walking and cycling
• Updated traffic management to help keep Weston moving
• Quicker journeys for drivers, especially at busy times

The project, undertaken by contractor Alun Griffiths, is part of wider work to improve transport across North Somerset and support future growth in the area.

Being part of the improvement works is giving Keri the chance to gain hands-on experience in highways and construction, while balancing work and family life.

Keri said: “I worked as a street warden for a while and spent several years in security, including at Dismaland. When I had my son, who is now seven, I realised that working late nights in security wasn’t sustainable, coming home with a black eye at 3am just wasn’t an option as a mum.

“I decided to make a change and went to college, qualifying as a Level 3 panel beater. I really enjoyed the work, but unfortunately the pay wasn’t enough to support us. I renewed my security licence and discovered I could work on construction sites, which felt like a new opportunity.

“From there, the Job Centre offered me another course to help increase my earnings. I thought, ‘what have I got to lose?’ and signed up for a groundwork's bootcamp. At the end of the programme, I was offered an interview with Alun Griffiths and I got the job!

“I absolutely love what I do now. The company is flexible around my son, which makes such a difference. My dad helps by taking him to breakfast club so I can get on site early, and my employer works with me so I can finish in time to pick him up.

“It’s a job I can really get stuck into, and I’m really happy knowing my son can see me working hard and doing what I need to do to provide for us.”

The council is also using projects like this to help local people into work, creating opportunities for apprenticeships, training and new careers. When the council brings in contractors for infrastructure projects, it sets clear expectations that the work should benefit local people too. Similar schemes in the region have not only helped people into jobs in construction and engineering, but also delivered lasting improvements for local communities.

Cllr Hugh Malyan, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, North Somerset Council, said: “It’s fantastic to see apprentices like Keri making a real difference in their community while building their future. Improvements like those at Queensway are something local people in Weston have been asking for over many years, so it’s great to see them now taking shape. Just as importantly, schemes like this are creating real opportunities for local people to gain skills, start careers and play a part in delivering lasting benefits for North Somerset.”

The Queensway scheme is one of several projects aimed at improving transport links, supporting the local economy and giving residents the chance to build new skills and careers.

Simon Dunn, Deputy Managing Director for Griffiths, said: “Keri is a fantastic example of the talent coming through local training and employment programmes. She joined Griffiths after completing a WECA-funded Construction Bootcamp and is now progressing her apprenticeship through Weston College while gaining hands-on experience on the Queensway scheme. We’re incredibly proud of the contribution she is making to the project. Supporting people like Keri into long-term, rewarding careers is a key part of how Griffiths deliver social value for North Somerset and the communities we work in.”

Keri’s story shows how these opportunities can make a real difference by helping people find stable, rewarding work close to home while contributing to projects that benefit the whole community. Anyone in North Somerset who needs support with their career can get in touch with council advisors.