Banks Homes launches first apprenticeship programme

Banks Homes' managing director Russ Hall

Housebuilder Banks Homes is opening up new early career opportunities in the residential property sector after launching its first apprenticeship programme. 

The County Durham-headquartered firm has begun recruiting for a commercial trainee, a trainee assistant site manager and a trainee sales executive as it looks to increase the number of staff that it brings through the ranks itself.

Bespoke apprenticeship training programmes have been developed with Northumbria University, New College Durham and Sunderland College to ensure the new apprentices have access to the outside support they will need as their training progresses. 

Each role will also enable the recruits to gain formal qualifications, including up to degree level, in their respective areas of expertise.

The recruitment process is now ongoing, with Banks Homes aiming to have the new apprentices in post by the end of the summer.

Founded in 2023 and part of North East employer the Banks Group, Banks Homes is building a growing portfolio of high-quality residential sites across North East England and Yorkshire, with development under way at sites in County Durham, the Tees Valley and North Yorkshire and work due to start in other locations through the rest of this year.

Its apprenticeship programme complements the Banks Group’s longstanding graduate recruitment programme, which offers recruits support in building the key vocational, technical and professional skills needed for their respective roles, as well as opportunities to gain hands-on experience on live projects and evolving plans. 

Five of its six current graduate trainees are working within Banks Homes or its sister  property development business, Banks Property, while all of the preceding graduate intake were awarded permanent jobs with the family-owned firm after successfully completing their training.

Russ Hall, managing director at Banks Property and Banks Homes, says: “Investing in talent identification is a core part of the Banks Group’s longstanding ‘development with care’ approach, and we have trained many apprentices through our 50-year history who have gone on to enjoy very successful careers both with us and elsewhere.

“The first Banks Homes apprenticeship programme is the latest stage of this process and has been designed to give talented people with a passion for property with a fantastic opportunity to get themselves established in the industry.

“It will combine comprehensive on-the-job training with support from the highly experienced Banks Homes team and a range of outside institutions who’ve been specially chosen for the specialist expertise they can provide for each role.

“Banks Homes has an ambitious, long-term growth strategy in place and we want our new apprentices to be able to play a hands-on role in its successful delivery while also developing themselves as both professionals and people.”

For further information on Banks Homes’ new apprenticeship programme, please visit https://www.bankshomes.co.uk/careers/