Bellway offers on-site placements as part of national programme to get more women into construction

Bellway’s Yorkshire division is encouraging women to apply for on-site work experience at two developments in Yorkshire – Penny Way in Snaith and Clifford Gardens in Skipton – as part of the Women into Home Building programme being run by the Home Builders Federation (HBF).

Bellway is one of 10 developers working in partnership with the HBF to support the initiative, which was launched across England, Scotland and Wales in January 2023. Currently, women account for just 16 per cent of the construction workforce and four per cent of existing site managers in the industry.

Successful candidates for the new cohort of the programme will attend a week-long online training and insight session, between Monday 4 and Friday 8 November, to develop their knowledge of site management, followed by a two-week on-site work placement between Monday 11 and Friday 22 November, gaining hands-on experience and the opportunity to connect with potential employers.

Participants will be expected to start and finish on their designated site at the required times, usually 8.30am to 4.30pm, and the HBF will support them with travel expenses and childcare costs.

At the end of this three-week programme, candidates will be supported and encouraged to apply for live vacancies offered by participating employers and the wider industry.

Shelly McLean was one of the first women to come though the scheme and is now relishing her role as a trainee assistant site manager at Bellway’s Primrose Grove development in Wimblington, Cambridgeshire.

The 41-year-old, from Huntingdon, said: “Without a programme like Women into Home Building, there’s no way on this planet that I would have considered being a site manager. It is not something that I thought was open to me, so Women into Home Building has been lifechanging.

“My goal is to become a construction director. That is a long way off, but I think it is achievable. My current construction director, Dean Takkou, who has been with Bellway for 25 years, is incredibly enthusiastic and makes you feel like you’re very capable. He is really encouraging.”

In addition to the placements being offered by the Yorkshire division, Bellway is also offering another 10 placements across England, Wales and Scotland.

Ellie Hall, Group Resourcing and Talent Manager for Bellway, said: “We are proud to support this incredibly important programme which has been designed to address and overcome some of the barriers to women entering the housebuilding industry.

“This scheme increases general awareness of management careers within construction and gives women the opportunity to gain practical on-site management experience.

“The Women into Home Building programme also allows us an employer to reach out and try to tap into a new pool of talent which is exactly what happened with Shelly. She fancied a change of career and after a two-week placement with us realised that this was the career for her. It is clear she has a bright future ahead.”

Jenny Herdman, the HBF’s Director of the Home Building Skills Partnership, said: “Our industry faces a significant skills shortage, and it is vital that we attract a broad range of entrants if we are to meet the growing need for housing.

“Our Women into Home Building programme has already made a significant impact, engaging over 200 women, successfully guiding 65 candidates through training and work experience and 20 into employment.

“The home building industry offers a variety of rewarding careers, yet women currently represent around 16 per cent of the construction workforce. We're proud to partner with our members to drive change and support more women to pursue a career within our industry."

Applications for the Women into Home Building scheme are now open and close at 5pm on Sunday 22 September. Women interested in the programme can apply at https://www.hbf.co.uk/home-building-skills-partnership/women-home-building/programme/.

More information about careers with Bellway is available at https://www.bellwaycareers.co.uk/.