FORMER college student Stacie Allan is living the dream after winning a new Historic Scotland 3D digital documentation bursary placement.

Over the past year, the 27-year-old has been involved in major projects including a joint collaboration between Historic Scotland and the Digital Design Studio at The Glasgow School of Art to virtually reconstruct the tomb of Scottish king Robert the Bruce and Stacie was responsible for 3D printing the reconstructed tomb.

She has also played a huge part in the Rae Project, which was set up to 3D digital document all 345 of Historic Scotland’s properties in care to create a benchmark architectural and archaeological record that will be used for building conservation, education and archival posterity.

Some of the sites include Glasgow Cathedral, Stirling Castle, Edinburgh Castle and the Standing Stones of Callanish.

As well as the Rae properties, Stacie has recorded and 3D printed some of the Rae objects that Historic Scotland has in care by using close range scanning, structured light scanning and photogrammetry.

The former Forth Valley College student took a calculated career risk of historic proportions and it has paid off thanks in part to her HND Architectural Technology course.

Allan, from Fallin, near Stirling, applied for and won the Historic Scotland 3D Digital Documentation Bursary Placement – funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund – while still a student on the course and it has proved to be one of the best moves she has ever made.

She has now had her year-long placement extended for another six months until the end of 2015.

Stacie said: “I’m over the moon at having my placement extended and the next big project that we will be scanning is the Forth Bridges which will be a massive challenge.

“I feel proud of my achievements and I know I made the right decision to take the risk and go for the placement with Historic Scotland and it has paid off for me, but it was being on the architectural technology course that opened the door.”

She said the teaching, advice and support she received from staff and classmates at the college, were driving forces behind succeeding in her new post and has set her up for a career in the construction industry.

Before she went on the course, she graduated in BA design specialising in interior design, however she always had a nagging doubt in the back of her mind that it wasn’t technical enough for her.

She said: “I wanted to be more informed about how things were done, I felt that what my degree was missing was the more technical aspects about building construction.

“The HND architectural technology course gave a great overview of the construction industry and I just loved it – the people in the class, the lecturers were all so friendly and approachable.”

She began the HND in architectural technology back in August 2013, but shortly before she completed her first year Stacie was encouraged by staff to apply for a Historic Scotland placement.

Scoring 99 per cent in a surveying exam, one of the highest ever seen in the college, might also have boosted her confidence.

Allan said: “When my construction curriculum manager Charles Cameron came into class and asked to see me, I wasn’t sure what he wanted to discuss but he told me that he had been hearing great things about the work I had been producing and that I had worked really hard, particularly in surveying.

“Charlie mentioned the placement to me and told me that if I was interested, I had the college’s backing. I only had two weeks to get my CV in order and it was also at the time of my daughter Isabella’s birthday, so I was a little bit stressed and worked up, especially over my CV. I did not think I would get it, but all my lecturers had confidence in me. I went for it and I was offered a paid bursary for a full year from July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015.”

Allan said it is difficult to for women to get into construction but she would encourage anyone thinking about it to give it a shot.

Speaking about her experience so far on the placement, she said: “It has been fantastic. I have travelled all across the UK for training, conferences and have worked on some great sites.

“I did not even think a job such as this existed until Charlie mentioned it, but it has been right up my street. I would not have had the confidence to apply for it before, but everyone at Forth Valley College’s construction department are always rooting for you and they really make you believe in your abilities.

“It is hard for a woman in the construction industry, but the class I was in was about 50:50 male to female ratio and was very well balanced.

“The support you receive is excellent and the fact that I have moderate dyslexia was never a problem.

“Just to know that support is there means so much.”