Today (Monday 18 August), the Home Builders Federation (HBF) has launched its seventh cohort of the Women into Home Building programme. Building on the success of the spring 2025 cohort, the upcoming programme boasts the largest number of home builders hosting women on sites, with more than 45 placements available across England, Scotland, and Wales.

The initiative is designed to introduce more women to careers in site management, provide hands-on experience, and candidates with potential employers. The Women into Home Building programme has become a key activity for creating a strong talent pipeline and an inclusive workforce, reinforcing the industry’s commitment to attracting the future workforce.

The programme is also a crucial component of the newly launched Home Building Sector Skills Plan, which sets out a blueprint for the industry to grow and develop a resilient future workforce to deliver housing targets. 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.

Participants attend a week of funded online training and insight sessions, designed to build foundational knowledge in site management. This is followed by a two-week work experience placement at a local home building site, providing direct exposure to industry operations and leadership responsibilities. To ensure that the programme is as accessible as possible, contributions towards travel and childcare costs are also provided.

Home builders have been sponsoring placements on their sites since 2023, with over 230 women having received support, career advice, and exposure to roles in home building. The latest cohort is being supported by a range of regional and national builders: Anwyl Homes, Bargate Homes, Bellway Homes, Crest Nicholson, Gleeson Homes, Hill Group UK, Pentland Homes Ltd, Prospect Homes, Stonebond, Taylor Wimpey, Untypical, Vistry Group, and Wates Residential.

Gillen Aggrey, who took part in the Spring 2025 cohort of the programme and is now working in the home building industry, says: “I can honestly say this is the beginning of a new chapter in my life now. Doing all this landed me an interview, along with my site manager telling me I could always use him as a reference for future positions.”

On her experience working on a placement with home builders, Gillen noted: “I was able to gain hands-on experience on site, talk to and ask the site managers all the questions I had from things I’d seen on site. I put myself out there, communicated with the team, asked questions, and made sure to listen to the answers. The teams I have been introduced to have all made me feel more welcome than any other job I’ve had.”

With placements due to start in November, the industry is looking to build on its previous success. The Women into Home Building programme is now open for applications from women completely new to the industry and  from women already working in trades that are looking for a new challenge.

Andy George, Director of Industry Attraction and Skills at HBF says: “The success of the Women into Home Building programme is a testament to how the industry is proactively working to enhance diversity and develop a skilled and inclusive workforce. These efforts play a vital role in attracting a wider talent pool into the sector.

“As a leading voice in the industry, we are committed to supporting entry routes for women and the practical steps being taken to widen participation. Our initiative offers an opportunity for women around the UK to gain valuable skills and progress into future industry management and leadership roles.”

The application window closes at midnight on Sunday 21 September. Those interested are encouraged to apply at pathwayctm.com/wihb.