Bellway received more than 3,000 applications as it launched the Bellway Apprenticeship Programme for the first time.
For 2022, the company introduced its in-house apprenticeship scheme, co-ordinating the intake of new talent across England, Scotland and Wales. This resulted in the largest-ever number of applications for Bellway apprenticeships.
Out of these, there were 57 successful applicants, who began their new careers with Bellway in September.
Bellway, whose headquarters are in Newcastle Upon Tyne operates from 22 regional divisions across the country. The company has taken on the new recruits for both entry-level and higher-level apprenticeships in a range of disciplines including construction and trades, technical and commercial and business and finance.
The new apprentices gathered at induction events in Newcastle and Essex, when they were given an introduction to Bellway and its company ethos.
Bellway has achieved gold ‘5% Club’ status for the second year in row by ensuring that at least five per cent of its workforce are apprentices, graduates and degree placement holders.
This year’s intake of apprentices has drawn on a range of talented individuals with differing ages and skills from across the UK.
Lucy Jones, 20, from Liverpool, has joined Bellway on a three-year course as an apprentice quantity surveyor. She said: “This apprenticeship is ideal for me because I can work while learning and it makes sense to me to be comfortable and experienced at work before I am qualified.
“I would rather have job role experience instead of coming out of university straight into a job with no actual experience.
“My aim is to become a qualified surveyor, get my degree and progress in my job at Bellway.”
Trainee assistant site manager Charlie Devlin, 27 from Livingston, West Lothian, has embarked on a role as a trainee assistant site manager. He said: “I am dyslexic so a hands-on learning environment suits me better. The housebuilding industry is brand new to me, so I am on a very steep learning curve but I am loving every second of it.
“The guys on the site team and the trades teams have taken me under their wing and are very patient when I bombard them with questions as I try to get to grips with my role. Everyone at the company is incredibly supportive and genuinely interested in me and I am confident that, with this level of support, I can go on to qualify as an assistant site manager and maybe go higher.”
Daniel Brown, from Redcar, North Yorkshire, landed a place on the apprenticeship programme at the age of 35 after trying a number of jobs, including a year as an installation technician on wind turbines.
He said: “I had spent most of my working life in digital marketing and project management so this role as a trainee assistant site manager suits me down to the ground. I already knew Bellway was a good company to work for because I bought a home from them a few years ago and they were fabulous.
“I am at a time in my life when I want to take on a role that calls for a large degree of responsibility. With this apprenticeship I can train for that and earn while I learn.”
Laura Bell, Bellway Group Human Resources and Organisational Development Manager, said: “Our apprenticeship training programme continues to go from strength to strength and this year, for the first time, has been nationally co-ordinated to ensure that all new recruits start at the same time.
“We received an incredible response to our first in-house apprenticeship scheme, with a record number of applications. We believe this shows we are progressive employer and that people know we can offer a range of dynamic career paths within this industry.
“We employ apprentices in a huge variety of jobs within the company, from traditional housebuilder occupations such as bricklaying and carpentry to jobs most large firms require, like accountancy or procurement. Our drive to hire an increasing number of apprentices has seen us retain our coveted status as gold ‘5% Club’ members.”
The 5% Club is an employer-led organisation whose members pledge to work towards having five per cent of their workforce on a formal apprenticeship, or student or graduate development scheme within five years. Currently, 7% of Bellway’s workforce is in earn and learn roles with ambitions to increase this to 12% by July 2024.
