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

Bellway’s Durham division is encouraging women to apply for on-site work experience at two developments in County Durham – Hedworths Green at Lambton Park near Chester-le-Street and The Old Foundry in Wolsingham – 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.

Sophie Curtis, from Jarrow, was announced earlier this year as housebuilder Bellway’s Apprentice of the Year. She was the overall winner, and one of only four apprentices honoured nationally this year.

Sophie joined the Newcastle-based company as an apprentice bricklayer in August 2021 and, after a two-year programme, qualified as a Level 2 Bricklayer at the end of last year.

Sophie encouraged any woman thinking about applying for an apprenticeship in the construction business to do it.

“I’d say, don’t be scared and just go for it because it’s the best thing you’ll ever do,” she said. “People might ask you all the time about how you got into it, but when I tell people all about what I do, they say ‘wow well done!’.”

The teenager said being the only female construction worker on site does not faze her.

“There are a few women on different sites, but on my site I’m the only woman working directly for Bellway. I get treated exactly the same as any male apprentice.

“I think there’s a stigma about the industry, but they are men and not boys, and many of them have children of their own. They understand that everybody has to start somewhere and they look after me.”

In addition to the placements being offered by the Durham 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 Sophie, who has gone on to achieve great things at Bellway. 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/.