Anwyl Homes has taken on four trainees in a bid to provide new opportunities for young people post-pandemic.
The housebuilder, which has headquarters in Ewloe, Flintshire, and Chorley, Lancashire, offers careers across a wide variety of roles including sales, marketing, construction and commercial.
Keen to play its part to increase the number of skilled professionals in the sector, the company is offering new training and development programmes for young recruits.
In its Cheshire and North Wales region Anwyl has recruited Alex Baird as trainee homes advisor and Amy Lloyd as marketing assistant. Over in Lancashire, Hayley Hughes has been taken on as a trainee homes advisor, and Alex Hetherington is the latest commercial recruit.
Alex Baird, 21, from Stockport will work between two of Anwyl’s Cheshire developments – The Fairways in Handforth and Alexandra Gardens in Crewe – gaining full training in new homes sales. He previously worked in Manchester and in Sydney, Australia, as a project coordinator but believes “there is no better career than helping people find their dream home”.
Alex, who loves music and DJs in his spare time, said: “The construction industry is ever-growing and the opportunities are endless. For me personally I believe houses are always going to need to be built, which allows me a limitless career path with opportunities to diversify and grow.
“Starting as a trainee gives me the opportunity to see the business from all angles. I’d like to eventually move up through the ranks into management. It’s a great opportunity to learn new business skills and develop a good rapport with both clients and staff.”
Amy, 22, from Abergele, has a first-class degree in business management from Liverpool John Moores University. Anwyl is now supporting her through a certified marketing course alongside additional training.
Previously a part-time steward at Liverpool Football Club, Amy was drawn to a career in new homes marketing for its fast pace, and to Anwyl in particular due to its established brand reputation in the region.
She said: “There are lots of opportunities in the new homes sector and, due to its longevity, it provides a degree of job security, which is more difficult to find following the pandemic. There’s also the potential for growth and career progression as the industry continues to flourish.
“The training opportunities that Anwyl provides are invaluable and will significantly assist me as a springboard in my career.”
Hayley graduated from Bangor University with a first-class integrated master’s degree in geography. Like many others, her original career path was rerouted by the pandemic.
“I’d originally been offered a job as cabin crew but because of Covid that didn’t happen. I started looking at industries with similar customer service skill sets and approached Anwyl by sending in my CV,” Hayley explained.
“I’m learning everything from scratch but it’s amazing how much you can pick up shadowing someone and I’m now able to cover sites on my own.”
Hayley, 23, from Fleetwood, has worked at developments across Anwyl’s Lancashire patch, including Longridge, Barton, Burscough, Knowsley and St Helens.
“There’s a lot involved with selling a house that’s out of your hands so it’s a case of learn to adapt and overcome, which is what I did to secure this role,” Hayley added.
“This is a new chapter in my life and there are a lot of opportunities for me to advance my career with Anwyl, hopefully up to a managerial role in future.”
Since joining the company, Hayley has enrolled on the Future Talent Network (FTN), online knowledge and support hub recently launched by the HBF for new entrants to the home building industry.
Prior to joining Anwyl, new commercial trainee Alex Hetherington had been working in a restaurant and for his dad’s construction recruitment business.
“I saw some of the different roles people were being placed in and started thinking about becoming a quantity surveyor,” Alex explained.
“I contacted Anwyl’s commercial director and after being interviewed was offered a position as commercial trainee, where I’m spending my time between buying and procurement and the quantity surveyors.”
Alongside working at Anwyl’s Buckshaw Village office, Alex, 20, from Wigan, will be studying for a BTEC Level 3 in Construction and the Built Environment at Wigan and Leigh College.
Mathew Anwyl, housing managing director for Anwyl, said: “It’s vital that we continue to provide new training opportunities for young people starting out in the industry to secure a skilled workforce for years to come. It’s been a tough 18 months for many industries, but construction has come through this period relatively strongly so far. We are pleased to be able to offer four very talented new employees a launch pad for their future career.”
