Women at different stages of their working lives have been inspired to aim for a career in construction site management by taking part in the latest Women into Home Building programme.
The scheme, organised by the Home Builders Federation (HBF), takes candidates through a three-week introduction to the industry, made up of a week of online study followed by a two-week work placement at a live construction site.
More than 200 women have taken part in the programme since it started in January 2023 with many going on to secure placements and jobs in the sector. The latest cohort completed the programme in November, with Bellway providing places for 11 women to take part.
Tyler Auld, 24, from Cambridgeshire was so certain that she wanted to take part in the programme that she gave up her job as a senior property manager with a lettings agent so that she could attend.
Tyler entered the property industry five years ago as a trainee lettings negotiator and worked her way up, gaining a lot of experience and knowledge on the way. But she knew she needed a new challenge and when she saw an advertisement for the scheme, she was certain this was her future.
She said,
“It felt right as soon as I saw it.”
Her employer could not give her the time off to take part in the scheme, so she handed in her notice so that she could join the programme at the start of November. Although in some ways she says it was a leap of faith, she knew she simply had to take the opportunity.
Her placement was at Bellway’s Elder Brook development in Peterborough. During her time on site Tyler saw different stages of the build from working on foundations to installing a roof. She learned about the management side of the role too, including putting together a build programme, so that work is scheduled in the best way to stay on track and on time.
She said,
“It was great. It felt like I was meant to be there. I fit in well with the guys on site and they were very welcoming and happy to share and answer my questions.”
She now hopes to gain a position as a trainee assistant site manager and build her career steadily from there.
She said:
“Without the Women into Home Building programme I wouldn’t have the entryway into construction and I’m very grateful for it. I would also like to extend my thanks to everyone at Bellway who I met during my placement.”
And she would encourage other women who are considering taking part in the programme to go for it. She said,
“We are needed. Women belong in any industry.”
Kathy Kwan would also say ‘go for it’ to any woman who is even slightly considering taking part in Women into Home Building. She took part in the programme this November at Bellway’s Falcon Grove and Roman Court developments, in Newcastle upon Tyne, and it has inspired her to take her career in a whole new direction.
Kathy, who lives in Newcastle upon Tyne, is a consultant working in the affordable housing sector. Originally from Hong Kong, Kathy came to the North East to study for a degree in Multi-media Design at Northumbria University. She followed this by completing two Masters degrees – one in International Business Administration and the other in Computer-based Information Systems.
She went on to work in development programme management and strategic roles in London for over 18 years before returning to the North East, working as a consultant with housing associations and local authorities. As most of her work is very computer-based working with data on development viability appraisals, she was keen to experience a more hands-on side of the housing industry on a working construction site.
She said:
“I spent time with the Assistant Site Manager, Site Manager and Construction Project Manager. They are very knowledgeable, and they were very welcoming to me, answering my questions and taking me out on site to see different stages in construction from foundation to pre-handover inspection. They put a lot of time into it, and I really appreciated it.”
The experience has opened up her thoughts about where to take her career next, and she would now like to be trained as an assistant site manager if an opportunity arises.
“To start with I was just thinking I want to enhance my experience and get to know people and extend my network. Now, because I have joined this programme I’m actually quite interested in a shift in my career.
“I would love to be part of the team, go out and talk to people on site and organise the construction site from a management side. I have a lot of transferable skills from my experience that I can put into practice.”
Ellie Hall, Bellway’s Group Resourcing and Talent Manager, said:
“Tyler and Kathy have grabbed this opportunity wholeheartedly and their enthusiasm is clear.
“That is very much what the Women into Home Building programme is all about. It gives a great opportunity to women to learn more about an industry they may not have found a way into otherwise. And it gives the construction industry access to more of the quality candidates it needs to build a highly skilled and more gender-balanced workforce.”
More details about careers with Bellway can be found at www.bellwaycareers.co.uk.