Kate Lister graduated from Northumbria University with a degree in Business & Marketing. She is planning to choose her specialist division at the end of Year One.
‘What is it about the construction industry that appeals to me? To be honest, I’ve never wanted to be stuck behind a desk. I like the thought of being out on different sites, meeting different people and making things happen. I like the thought of doing something practical and producing something tangible at the end of the day.
‘The usual graduate programmes in accounting or consulting just didn’t appeal to me. I’m looking forward to rotating around Barratt, getting to know the organisation and finding out what I’m good at. I’ve got no preconceptions and it feels as though a career in Construction could take me in any direction. Of course, the Barratt Development Programme is only in its first year too. So it’s a bit of an adventure so far!
‘The fact that the Programme was so new was a worry for me at first. But I was really impressed with how supportive Barratt were. I picked up the phone to my future MD and talked him through how nervous I was. He was really helpful – he didn’t even try and push me to join. The fact that he was so accessible convinced me. He sounded like he wanted me to make the right decision and, looking back, I think I did.’