Industry-leading initiative expands to offer more women hands-on experience and career pathways in site management.
The Home Builders Federation (HBF) has launched its sixth cohort of the Women into Home Building programme. With 38 placements available, the Spring 2025 programme boasts the largest number of opportunities to women across England, Scotland, and Wales since the programme began.
Delivered in partnership with 11 home builders, this latest cohort will provide 38 training, support, and work placements – marking a significant expansion from previous years. Participating home builders include Anwyl Homes, Bargate Homes, Bellway, Gleeson, Hill Group, Hopkins Homes, Keepmoat, Places for People, Taylor Wimpey, Tilia Homes and Vistry Group.
With women currently accounting for just 16% of the construction workforce and only 4% of site managers, the programme plays a crucial role in addressing the sector’s gender imbalance while helping to tackle the industry’s ongoing skills shortage.
The previous intake secured the programme’s highest number of applicants and home builders will be offering more placements than ever before in this latest round of applications.
Since its inception, the Women into Home Building programme has successfully guided over 90 participants through training and work experience and supported more than 25 candidates into employment within the home building industry.
Women interested in a rewarding career change are encouraged to apply to the fully funded three-week programme. Successful candidates will receive high-quality training, industry insight, and practical experience as a trainee site manager on home building sites from Glasgow to Dorset.
This will be the first time initiative will be supported by its new delivery partner, Pathway CTM.
The programme will be sponsored by NHBC to continue to offer candidates support with travel and childcare costs, tackling a common barrier in gaining access to work experience.
Women interested in applying for the programme can find out more by visiting The Home Builders Federation (HBF) website, applications close at 5pm on Sunday 23 March.
Neil Jefferson, Chief Executive at HBF, says:
“Building the talent pipeline and growing industry’s workforce is critical to increasing housing supply numbers at the levels required. The Women into Home Building programme helps to introduce more prospective talent to the rewarding careers available within the industry and offer valuable training to strengthen the industry’s future talent pipeline.
“We are proud to collaborate with our members once again to deliver this programme at a larger scale than ever before.”
Chris McNamara, Founder and CEO at Pathway CTM, says:
“We are excited to share this important initiative with recent education leavers and women seeking career transitions.
“Site management is a rewarding career opportunity and Pathway CTM is ready to support the home building industry in attracting candidates to the Women into Home Building programme.”
