Military Spouse to Business Owner: Wendy’s Building Heroes Story
Training helped military spouse Wendy Bannister and her husband start a property maintenance business.Wendy had no idea that funded training could be available to her as a military spouse. Her husband Brian, a former Royal Marine WO2, had been retired for 18 years when she shared her story.
After discovering Building Heroes, Wendy and Brian applied for Construction Skills and Retrofit/EPC Assessor courses. For Wendy, the knowledge and qualifications gained provided a route into a new working chapter alongside her husband.
They went on to start a property maintenance company. Wendy explained that, although she did not continue with retrofit work, she regularly uses her EPC Assessor qualification as an additional service alongside their property maintenance work. The business has also enabled them to offer part-time casual work to their daughter while she studies at university.
“None of this would have been possible without the assistance of Building Heroes and the training that they provided. We are incredibly grateful.”
Wendy’s experience shows that Building Heroes opportunities extend to military spouses, including those whose partners left Service years ago. If you are a spouse or partner considering a new direction, explore the training available and find out whether a programme could support your next step.
Building Heroes supports Service Leavers, Veterans, Reservists and immediate military family members to explore opportunities in construction and the built environment.
To find out more and apply, visit: www.buildingheroes.org.uk/courses