Rachael Thompson joined Esh Construction in January 2024 as a Social Value Coordinator as she took a career segway from the teaching assistant position she had held for 15 years. The mum of two – to Samuel, 7, and Alexander, 5 – has become a key part of Esh’s Social Value team and has now embarked on an apprenticeship in Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability, a newly-launched course that has been endorsed by His Majesty King Charles III.
As part of National Apprenticeship Week 2025, we caught up with 39-year-old Rachael, to find out more about her foray into the apprenticeship route later in her career and the complexities of juggling a bustling home and work life alongside her studies.
Can you tell us about your background before joining Esh Group?
I spent 15 years working mainly in education as a teaching assistant in mainstream primary schools. I’d always had an interest in providing pastoral support to the children on issues like attendance, liaising with social services, and supporting families facing difficult circumstances but often the opportunities for making a key impact were limited and it felt like the right time for me to explore new career pathways. I’ve also been a member of the National Education Union for the last few years, supporting with training and case work, before becoming a support staff officer for the Durham branch. I also represent the northern region on the Support Staff National Council.
After leaving my teaching role, I took some time to reflect on my next steps. I’d never heard of social value before, but as soon as I started talking with the team, I realised how much my background in education and community support aligned and it felt like a natural next step. With the role focusing on positive social impact, we work on initiatives that benefit local communities, including employment and training opportunities, school engagement programmes, and sustainability-focused projects.
What inspired you to take on an apprenticeship and how does it fit into your current role?
Last May, Gateshead College launched a new apprenticeship programme, and when I attended the event, everything they described seemed to align perfectly with my role at Esh. The apprenticeship focuses on sustainability and corporate responsibility, areas that are becoming increasingly important in construction. Corporate responsibility is what we do, and sustainability is such a huge topic within that. It’s really given me an opportunity to learn more about Esh and several areas of the business I hadn’t previously encountered.
How do you balance work, study, and family life?
The beauty of an apprenticeship is that it’s designed to fit around your job. The things that I’m doing in college, I apply when I come to work, collecting evidence of what I’m already doing at work to support my portfolio and final submissions. The course will naturally involve hard work but it shouldn’t significantly impact my work-life balance or affect my time on an evening or weekend with my children.
What advice would you give to someone considering an apprenticeship later in their career?
Take the opportunity! There’s no set path in life, and learning doesn’t stop when you reach a certain age. Apprenticeships aren’t just for school leavers—they’re a great way to develop professionally. I don’t regret not going to university or anything like that when I was younger. I’ve worked really hard and now just seems to the right time. I’ve got the boys as well, obviously, they’re seven and five now, but Samuel is already talking about university and what he wants to do when he grows up – it’s nice for them to see that life doesn’t have to be a straight line, and that you can take opportunities when they come up at any point.
The apprenticeship is endorsed by HM King Charles III – how does that feel?
It’s great to be part of a programme that has royal endorsement. King Charles III has always been passionate about sustainability, and the course reflects the need for businesses to take a proactive approach to environmental and social responsibility.
The apprenticeship is broadening my horizons around sustainability and Esh’s journey around it. Sustainability is changing so much all the time so I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to support Esh’s Even Greener learnings by bringing in fresh insights on best practices and innovation.
I've got the boys as well, obviously, they're seven and five, but Samuel is already talking about university and what he wants to do when he grows up – it’s nice for them to see that life doesn't have to be a straight line, and that you can take opportunities when they come up at any point.”
