CJ Montgomery: Level 3 Student Blog
My name is CJ Montgomery. I am 25 years old, and I am a Leeds College of Building student. I am finishing a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Construction in the Built Environment, and I am also a student rep, ambassador, and a college student governor.
At College, we are celebrating South Asian Heritage Month (#SAHM23), using the campaign’s theme of celebrating stories that make up our diverse and vibrant community. From 18 July to 17 August, SAHM aims to elevate the prominence of British South Asian history and heritage in the UK through education, arts, culture, celebration, and commemoration.
As a person of South Asian background, I think it is an excellent decision of Leeds College of Building to raise awareness of equality, diversity, and inclusivity through SAHM - within the College, as well as in the broader construction industry.
My journey to college
I first heard about Leeds College of Building back in 2015 from my mother, who found it online while I was studying at Leeds City College. I decided to the attend in September as I always aspired to become an architect and felt this was the right direction to go in to fulfil this dream.
I felt the College had the right tools to assist me on this journey. However, I had to drop out towards the end of my first year due to personal circumstances. During this period, I began working full-time and took on more household responsibilities, yet I still held on to my ambition of becoming an architect.
A few years passed, and I was ready to return to Leeds College of Building. I still believed it was the best place to provide me with the right skills for the future. I re-started my course, and it was all going well until my mum went into hospital to have a tumour removed from her throat. Devastated, I decided to drop out of college again at Christmas 2019
My mum was against the decision as she wanted me to stay and finish off my studies, but I felt it was the right thing to do. So, for the second time, I left College to help with home life and help take care of my mum.
I was working part-time then, but this changed to full-time after I left college, and I worked my way up in the company. I progressed from supervisor to duty manager, running multiple stores, managing staff, and picking up more responsibility. At the time, it felt like I was biting off more than I could chew. Nonetheless, I kept moving forwards and always tried to perform to a high standard.
The turning point
In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) came to the UK, and everyone was affected. We went into lockdown, and even though this was a tough time for us all, I felt grateful and blessed to have time to stop and spend time with my family. It also allowed me to reflect on what I want to do with my life.
I was finally ready to return to education, finish my studies, and achieve my aspiration of becoming an architect. So, I re-enrolled at Leeds College of Building in October 2022 as I knew it was the best place to equip me with the skills I needed for the future, especially if I wanted a career in the construction industry.
I was grateful to get the opportunity to come back. Studies were going well, but in December 2022, my household caught COVID-19 and we had to quarantine. As a result, my mum caught the virus. Her symptoms were severe enough to get her hospitalised. Then, on 9 January 2023, my mum passed away.
The College was notified of this terrible news, and I was given bereavement leave to process everything. After my mum’s funeral, however, I decided to return and complete my studies. I knew that’s what my mum would have wanted too.
I started my studies again and then became a student rep, ambassador, and student governor for the College. I have now completed my studies and am hoping to be accepted at The University of Manchester to study architecture.
It has been a long journey, but I enjoyed the process. Along the way, I picked up many physical and mental skills. I will take these strengths with me going forwards, like having integrity, challenging oneself, being confident and committed, and much more.
Equality in construction
I’ve seen first-hand that the College values its student and their opinion. It wants to provide the best for us so we get the best opportunities to achieve in our careers and become successful while building a network at the same time.
I believe the College is committed to equality, diversity and inclusivity (EDI), and this should be the way forward - striving to create a better, more equal world for us all. Naturally, the College reflects the construction industry, and so along with its community, it is trying to change an industry that is still heavily white male dominated in the UK.
Our industry is amazing and very successful, but it can do more when it comes to EDI. More diverse recruitment processes are needed which do not discriminate, such as promoting women as engineers, bricklayers, project managers, and more. This is the same for those from an ethnic minority background - being more inclusive, understanding, and respectful of other cultures and ethnicities.
The construction industry can achieve this and more by linking with institutions like Leeds College of Building, working with them to bring people through the education system into the work environment. Forming more networks, connections, and learning from each other brings awareness and tackles issues head-on.
Over the last 8 years, while I have been in and out of the College, I have seen a lot of change. The number of female students is increasing yearly, with more ethnic minority students attending Leeds College of Building than ever before.
With numbers for these demographics being the highest ever achieved by the College to date, this is an outstanding achievement and shows the College is truly making a change. However, there are lots of changes still to come, with more school engagement required to show that everyone can be a part of this industry, no matter your age, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, culture, or qualifications.
Leeds College of Building is showing everyone what you can achieve, what’s possible, and maybe giving a new perspective on the industry counter to misperceptions and stereotypes.
In my opinion, seeing is believing. So, if I - a South Asian male - can come through College and reach my goals, I hope it inspires others to achieve their aspirations too.
