Bel French, infrastructure project manager with international property and construction consultancy Gleeds, recently became the youngest person ever to meet the Association for Project Management’s Chartered Project Professional (ChPP) standard at just 22 years old. Bel joined the construction sector straight after taking her A Levels and completed her NVQ Level 4 Associate Project Manager Apprenticeship while working on a range of infrastructure projects and programmes. As part of this, she completed her APM Project Management Qualification (PMQ) and Agile PM Foundation exam.
Bel says, “I was fortunate to have found my project management apprenticeship, something that I could get excited about. I never specifically considered a career in construction but naturally gravitated in my applications to the construction and infrastructure companies because of the legacy and impact that the projects have in people’s day-to-day lives. I have grown a real passion for construction, specifically rail projects. Completing my ChPP really proves that there is a career progression in the industry for school leavers. I’d love for more people to see what a great sector it is, which is why I act as an APM Apprenticeship Ambassador.”
Since being notified of her successful ChPP application in May, Bel has turned 23 and attended the Association for Project Management’s ‘Power of Projects’ conference where she was interviewed by APM CEO, Professor Adam Boddison about her route into project management.
