At 29, Holly is beginning a new chapter – one built quite literally, brick by brick. On the 28th of November, she completed her Born to Build induction and officially stepped into her adult apprenticeship as a bricklayer. It’s a choice that may seem unconventional to some, but to Holly, it feels like a perfect fit.
Her path here wasn’t straightforward. For years, Holly tried to find her fit – first at university studying physiotherapy, where she excelled in written assignments but struggled with the practical components. “I failed every practical exam,” she recalls. “After a couple of years, I dropped out. I just couldn’t make it work.” She moved into various jobs, doing her best but never quite feeling settled.
Everything shifted last year, when Holly was diagnosed with ADHD – a revelation that made sense of so many past challenges. “It explained the mental health struggles, the difficulty sticking with anything, the constant restlessness,” she says. “It changed my life.” Like many women, her symptoms had flown under the radar because she’d performed well academically, even without full effort. She’d masked her ADHD for years without knowing.
Armed with self-understanding and a commitment to work with her brain – not against it – Holly began reassessing what she truly wanted from work. “I looked at my values,” she says. “What am I good at? What energises me? What calms me?”
The answer surprised her, but it also felt completely right: bricklaying.
“I love being hands-on. I love being outside,” Holly explains. “I used to be a personal trainer, so physical work has always appealed to me.” Bricklaying, with its blend of precision, structure, strength, and movement, ticked every box. She loves the idea of seeing visible progress at the end of each day – something deeply satisfying for her perfectionist streak, and regulating for her ADHD.
Physical activity, she’s discovered, is one of her superpowers. Where traditional desk-based work left her mentally scattered and overstimulated, the physical demands of bricklaying help her focus. The rhythmic movement, the problem-solving, the constant engagement of both body and mind all channels her energy in exactly the way she needs. “During my trial week, I’d go home at the end of the day and my mood was night and day compared to before. I felt calm. Tired – but the good kind of tired!” That evening restlessness so familiar to people with ADHD? Gone. Replaced with real sleep and a grounded sense of accomplishment.
Encouraged by a stonemason friend and supported by the Born to Build Program, Holly took the leap. With a Cert II in Construction completed during COVID, she already had a taste for the industry. Now, she’s all in.
For others considering a trade, her advice is simple: “If you’re interested, find out more. Go on a trial. Just give it a go.”
As she looks ahead to her apprenticeship, Holly is full of optimism – and just a little festive cheer. After all, ’tis the season for gift giving and Holly has given herself a real gift. We wish her all the very best with her Host Employer, and will be following Holly’s progress with much interest!
