After being out of the job market for several years, Shelly joined the Women into Home Building Programme as she was interested in a career within construction and wanted to explore more about the types of role available.

As well as an online insight week and two week work placement, the programme was structured to include tailored 1-2-1 support for Shelly such as updating her CV and looking at ways to overcome potential barriers that she might face including childcare and returning to the workplace after several years.

The online insight week provided Shelly with an opportunity to hear from the homebuilders involved as well as participating a packed training programme, resulting in Shelly obtaining her CSCS card!

Shelly then started a two-week work placement with Bellway as a Trainee Assistant Site Manager. Shelly excelled in her role where she was given tasks such as managing labourers, dealing with inductions and health and safety paperwork, and was placed in charge of site wide signage and location. She fitted in very well with her team who were full of praise; ‘As a team, we were impressed at the approachable nature of Shelley and her ability to take instruction and apply herself to the given task, considering that the role was new to her, and her experience was limited. She worked well in the supervisory role when tasking the labourers and they worked with her. We found Shelley to be an all-rounder, working on her own or with-in the team, she had plenty of questions and had a genuine interest on how things worked’.

Following the placement Shelly was given a guaranteed interview with Bellway and we are thrilled that she was offered a role with them as a Trainee Assistant Site Manager, which she gladly accepted. Shelley told us; ‘The entire programme was amazing & incredibly beneficial it was an amazing opportunity that I thoroughly enjoyed. Very grateful for the experience & enjoyed being thrown right in at the deep end on my placement! I really wasn’t sure that I was going to gain a lot because of having no experience in construction but I did think I would get an understanding of what certain jobs might be about & some exposure to the industry but, I’ve got a new job! The start of an amazing opportunity. Feeling more confident in my home life & am excited for the future.’

Congratulations Shelly! We are continuing to support Shelly and Bellway while she settles into her new role and would like to thank Bellway for all their support!