DANDARA PROMOTES NEW GENERATION OF HOUSEBUILDING TALENT IN MILTON KEYNES

Dandara Northern Home Counties has promoted Harry Collins into a permanent role after he successfully completed a two-year Trainee Management Programme, demonstrating the housebuilder’s commitment to addressing the youth skills gap.

He is one of five trainees to have successfully completed Dandara’s two-year Trainee Management Programme, which provides school leavers with an alternative route into housebuilding, combining practical, on-the-job experience with structured training and the opportunity to work towards recognised professional qualifications.

The latest promotions come as attention continues to grow around the need to attract more young people into technical and vocational careers. Prime Minister Andy Burnham recently called for Britain to “value the hard hat every bit as much as the graduation cap” as he announced plans for 14-year-olds to gain earlier access to technical education, skills, training and work experience.

Harry joined Dandara’s Trainee Management Programme in September 2024 after leaving school and has been promoted to Assistant Land Buyer based at the company’s Northern Home Counties office in Milton Keynes.

He said: “Unlike a traditional university degree, the Trainee Management Programme has given me the opportunity to earn money while working towards recognised professional qualifications. It’s great to gain the kind of hands-on experience you could never get from a textbook.

“A lot of my friends are struggling to manage on their student loans and are worried about whether they will have a job to go to when they finish their course. I’m really proud of what I have achieved, and I am excited about my future with Dandara.

“I love the variety of my role and the opportunity to learn something new every day, while building a career in an industry with so many different opportunities. The programme gave me a chance to explore a range of career paths before choosing the area I wanted to specialise in – which for me was land and planning.”

He added: “I can’t recommend this approach more highly – the team at Dandara could not have been more supportive and have encouraged me every step of the way.”

Head of Talent Development at Dandara, Alison Murphy said the trainees’ success showed that full-time Higher Education is not the only path to a rewarding future.

“For a long time, university or college has been seen by many as the best route to a successful career, but thankfully people are beginning to recognise that there are many different paths they can follow,” she said.

“Over the past two years, our trainees have had the opportunity to develop real, practical skills alongside experienced members of the Dandara team, while gaining valuable insight into the wide range of career opportunities available within housebuilding. They have all worked hard to become valued members of the team, and their promotions are very well deserved. Their progression highlights the opportunities available within the industry and demonstrates the benefits of investing in and developing our own talent pipelines.

“This investment in the next generation of workers is more important than ever. By 2032, the UK will need nearly one million additional construction workers, yet only 20% of the current workforce is under 30. There is a significant skills gap to address, and we must continue to encourage more young people to consider a career in construction.”