A group of construction apprentices have fitted out a new Bellway home in Manchester, gaining hands-on experience in a real-world housebuilding project.

The team – including trainee joiners, electricians, tilers, and painters – successfully completed the interior fit-out of a four-bedroom detached home at Bellway’s Hopwood Meadows development in Heywood.

Working under supervision but largely independently, the apprentices took part in an innovative construction training initiative on one of 156 new homes being delivered by Bellway’s Manchester division.

The project began after the superstructure of the property was complete, with the apprentices working on the interior of the building at the ‘first-fix’ stage – when wiring and piping is installed – and on the ‘second-fix’ or post-plaster stage, which includes the installation of sinks, baths and other fixtures such as floors, internal doors, sockets and switches.

The apprentices worked in the house over an eight-week period from late May until the property was completed in the middle of July.

After working on the house, Josh Hewitt, 18, an apprentice painter and decorator with Smalley, from Skelmersdale, said: “I’ve been an apprentice for a year now and I’m enjoying learning. It was a good experience being on your own and doing everything yourself.

“I was on site for a week and painted the whole house. It made me realise I was more advanced and could work on my own.”

Apprentice tiler Bailey Hanlon, 21, who works for Di Ceramica, in Ormskirk, said: “I’m three years into my apprenticeship. What I enjoyed most about this project was the creativity and artistic side of tiling alone.

“I found I can tile different rooms in the right way, and I’m not used to doing that on my own, but it went very well. I enjoyed it and it has helped me to improve. I’m coming to the end of my apprenticeship now and I feel this has been a good way to learn ahead of the next steps.”

Nineteen-year-old Nathan Ward, an apprentice joiner with IDM Joinery, in Denton, said: “My role was to finish everything from joists to the roof, stud walls and stairs. Then I came back for the second fix for the linings and interior doors, moving onto architrave and skirting boards.

“Everything was laid out when I arrived and it was a clean plot and safe to work in. That shows good management. It took a little time to get used to working independently. I was getting more confident every day.

“I always had an interest in joinery and liked woodwork lessons at school so the apprenticeship seemed like the right fit for me.”

Daniel Moore, 21, an electrical apprentice with BS Entwistle Electrical Contractors, based in Chadderton, was able to wire the house on his own.

He said: “I’m at the stage where I can do everything in the house as I’ve been through three years of training, so in that sense it was just like any other day. Then I came back to do the second-fix electricals and get the house ready for completion.

“We learned a lot about communication with the other trades and working around each other. It was good teamwork. In the next few months I should be qualified, so I’m looking forward to running operations on site on my own. I feel more ready for that now.”

Daniel’s supervisor, Sam Barrett, Senior Contracts Manager at BS Entwistle, said: “This has been a good opportunity for the apprentices to experience working independently before they’re out there doing this all the time. It gives them the work ethic of being on site and knowing what each of the trades needs to do and when.”

Ken Smith, Construction Manager for Bellway Manchester, said: “The Apprentice House was a very important initiative as it sought to address the fact that we have a national skills shortage in the trades sector. It’s important that we encourage the next generation of trades coming through.

“As construction manager, I look after a number of sites. My role in the project was to liaise with the contractors on all aspects of the build and invite the apprentices and their supervisors to take part.

“What impressed me most was the skillset that the apprentices brought. There was a real enthusiasm to be involved in the project. It is certainly a project that I would like to run again as there are not enough apprentices in the industry.”

More information about careers with Bellway can be found by visiting https://www.bellwaycareers.co.uk/vacancies.