WE have welcomed our third participant from the Home Builders Federation’s (HBF) Women into Home Building programme to Hollinsgate in Burnley.

Sophia Templeton, from Leeds, has completed a two-week placement on site at Hollinsgate. Sophia has lived and worked in London for the last few years working as a branch manager at Enterprise Car Hire but relocated back to Leeds where she is now studying project management.

“I found out about the Women into Home Building programme through The Learning People, who I am completing my project management qualification through. The opportunity for hands-on experience and the chance to build connections within the industry was highly appealing. The programme also gave me a valuable foot in the door, allowing me to bypass the usual process of competing against thousands of applications for work experience,” said Sophia.

The team has been so impressed by Sophia’s dedication and work ethic that we’re thrilled to offer her a contract running through January 2026. This opportunity allows her to continue gaining valuable industry experience while pursuing her studies.

“I’m excited about my future now. I feel like this programme will open so many doorways for me and allow me to achieve career progression. My course has shown me just how much women are needed in the industry and the Women into Homebuilding programme has showed me that there is room for females working in construction,” added Sophia.

Fiona Marquis completed the programme in 2024 and spent two weeks at Abbey Vale in Widnes. She is now a construction administrator at Prospect: “The programme solidified that construction was the path I wanted to follow so when my placement came to an end I decided to apply for roles at housebuilders and construction companies. I saw that Prospect we’re advertising my role via a connection on LinkedIn that I made during my placement. It’s the perfect first step into the industry and I’m hoping to complete some qualifications while at Prospect to help me achieve my vision to one day become a site manager.”

Michael Orgill, managing director at Prospect Homes said: “The initiative continues to break barriers by empowering more women to pursue rewarding careers in construction, strengthening diversity and innovation across the industry. Prospect Homes is so proud to be part of this programme and give women a look at what a career in construction can look like.”

To find out more about the Women into Home Building programme visit: https://www.hbf.co.uk/policy/campaigns-and-initiatives/wihb/