The housebuilder’s Scotland East division is encouraging women to apply for on-site work experience at its Shawfair development in Midlothian 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.

Charlie Devlin, from Livingston, was announced earlier this year as the runner-up in Bellway’s Apprentice of the Year Awards.

She previously worked in the outdoor industry as an instructor, but decided to make the switch to construction, embarking on an apprenticeship with Bellway in 2022.

“Everyone on site has been incredibly supportive and I am so grateful for all the time people have invested in helping me throughout this journey.

“I’ve learnt so many transferable skills and there are so many opportunities to explore here at Bellway. It’s the best career move I’ve ever made.”

Charlie says she has thrived as a woman in a traditionally male-dominated sector, adding: “I worked in a male-dominated industry before, so it’s nothing new to me. In fact, it’s like having 50 big brothers on site!”

But she says perceptions of the industry are changing and that young people shouldn’t let their gender define their future career.

“Gender doesn’t limit you in terms of career – anyone can do anything. Life is too short to spend it thinking ‘what if’ – if something makes you happy, you’ve got to pursue it.”

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 Charlie, 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 here.