To mark International Women’s Day this year, Lisa Chinn, Trainee Assistant Site Manager at Barratt Homes’ St Rumbold’s Fields development in Buckingham, describes how she got into the traditionally male industry.

Lisa Chinn Trainee Assistant Site Manager

Lisa joined Barratt Homes in 2019 as part of the Armed Forces Transition Programme. Prior to this, Lisa was worked in the Royal Air Force as part of the Dental Centre team where she started as a Dental Nurse and worked her way up to becoming a Practice Manager and then a Dental Nurse Instructor.

Lisa said:

“In 2013 after having my second child I decided to leave the Air Force as it was difficult to juggle family and military life while both my husband and I were serving.  My husband got posted to Cyprus in 2013 so we moved there with him and I worked as Practice Manager in the Mental Health department as a Civil Servant.

“I began my construction journey with Barratt Homes last year as part of the Armed Forces Transition Programme when we moved back to the UK. The programme gives ex-military personnel the opportunity to become Trainee Assistant Site Managers.

“Barratt Homes provides full training via Barratt Academy and also fund an NVQ Level 4 Construction Management qualification. The academy is a one year programme and it is expected that all personnel on the programme will achieve promotion to Assistant Site Manager within 7-12 months of commencing the programme.

“It’s a great opportunity, especially for women, as I think that it’s vital to change the stigma of the construction industry is a man’s world! I would advise any women looking to get into construction to be confident, believe in their own ability, back themselves and create a career plan with short and long term goals.”

The theme for International Women’s Day this year is ‘Each for Equal’ and Lisa has described what this means to her. She said: “For me, equality is about every single person having the same opportunities in life, regardless of where they come from, if they have a disability or what sex they are.”

Simon Francis, Managing Director at Barratt Homes North Thames, said:

“We want to quash the age old stereotype that the construction industry is a male dominated field as we have many women who work out on site as well as in office based roles.

“The construction industry is continuing to grow and this is an exciting time for people with an interest in housebuilding to join a market leading company and as one of the country’s top developers we are absolutely committed to developing raw talent and support our staff with training.”

For more information on International Women’s Day, visit www.internationalwomensday.com                                     

For more information on the Barratt Homes Armed Forces Transition Programme, visit www.barrattcareers.co.uk/armed-forces

For more information about any of the Barratt Homes developments in the area, visit the website at www.barratthomes.co.uk or call the sales line on 033 3355 8500.