Bellway, one of the largest housebuilders in the UK is offering work placements at two of its Yorkshire sites as part of a nationwide initiative to get more women into construction site management. Bellway’s Yorkshire division is inviting women to apply for on-site work experience at its Penny Way development in Snaith and Clifford Gardens in Skipton. This opportunity is part of the Women into Home Building programme, which is spearheaded by the Home Builders Federation (HBF).
Bellway is working with nine other developers in partnership with the HBF to back this scheme, which commenced in January 2023 in England, Scotland, and Wales. Currently, women represent only 16% of the construction employees and only 4% of site managers in the construction industry.
Candidates to be selected for the next cohort will undergo a week’s online training and insight from Monday, 4th November to Friday 8th November. This will improve their knowledge on how sites should be managed. After that, they will have an on-site work placement of two weeks from Monday, November 11 to Friday, November 22. This practical experience will equip them with practical skills and also offer them an opportunity to meet employers.
After this three-week programme, participants will receive support and encouragement to apply for current job openings provided by both the participating employers and the broader industry.
Group Resourcing and Talent Manager for Bellway, Ellie Hall, 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.”
The HBF’s Director of the Home Building Skills Partnership, Jenny Herdman, 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.”