INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY: Persimmon pushes to appoint 50 women into trainee construction roles

Target 50 will bring 50 additional female apprentices or technical trainees into construction-related roles across the UK this year.

The initiative forms part of Persimmon’s 50th anniversary celebrations and supports its commitment to becoming Britain’s leading homebuilder, with quality and customer service at its heart.

One of the females who is part of the Target 50 initiative is Allanya Bird, Trainee Quantity Surveyor from the South Yorkshire regional business.

“Maths is my passion and, after looking into careers, quantity surveying felt the perfect role for me,” said Allanya.

“I joined the Doncaster-based team in April 2019 and really enjoy my job. The team are very supportive and are helping me to progress. As a woman I have always felt very equal in my role, both internally and externally.

“There are fewer women in my role and International Women’s Day is a great platform to further promote the range of careers open to other maths lovers.”

Madi Pilgrim, Director of Talent and Diversity at Persimmon, said: “On International Women’s Day, I am delighted to recognise the contribution and achievements of all the women who work for Persimmon, and I am also excited to announce our Target 50 challenge.

“There is no doubt that welcoming 50 female apprentices or technical trainees into construction-related roles this year is a stretching target, but we are fully committed to achieving the goal.

“The construction industry has started to change in recent years but progress has been slow. We know there is much more to do in inspiring a wider pool of talent into the industry to address the skills gaps the sector faces and to build an innovative, inclusive and sustainable workforce in the long term.

“This initiative links directly to our ambition to have a workforce which is more reflective of the customers we serve and the communities we build in.”

Ms Pilgrim said Persimmon was focussing on increasing gender diversity in areas where there is a lower number of female employees in non-traditional roles, such as construction.

For more information about Target 50 or Persimmon Homes careers and training, visit http://www.persimmonhomes.com/target-50

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