This week’s interview with a senior figure in the UK new homes industry is with David Bullock, who talks about reaching his current role at Kier Living, and his experience and thoughts about working in housebuilding.
Please tell us about your role at Kier and your path to it.
I joined Kier in January this year as the regional director for the new Wales & West region. My main role is to make sure the new region flourishes, and we are able to deliver much needed new housing to the area. We’re already laying the foundations for this, with a pipeline of over 1,300 new homes secured so far.
Building relationships with local stakeholders is key. I work with local authorities, housing associations and private landowners to generate development opportunities which will provide homes in the areas with the greatest need.
I started and progressed my career at Persimmon, joining as a trainee site manager before moving on to become construction director. During my time at Persimmon I won the NHBC National Pride in the Job award three years running – an achievement I’m particularly proud of and I don’t think has ever been replicated. After leaving Persimmon, I worked as construction director at Taylor Wimpey, before joining Kier. Eleven months in, I’ve settled in well and am proud of what we are achieving. The company has a forward-thinking philosophy, puts customers at the heart of everything it does, sets high standards for us to reach and has an ambitious plan – I’m relishing the challenge.
What sort of new homes projects have you worked on to date, and what was it about them that you most enjoyed?
After thirty years in the housebuilding industry I have seen housing evolve. From small developments of a few homes to large-scale projects with a wide range of tenures, I’ve been part of a really varied mix of projects.
For me, the enjoyment comes from the overall importance of the work we’re doing. We’re in this business to create places that enhance people’s lives. We want people to enjoy living in the properties we develop and be proud to call them home. Knowing that we are making a difference to people and seeing the finished product is an immensely satisfying feeling.
The fact I grew up in Wales and have worked here for almost my entire career adds to this – these are communities that I know well.
What work challenges does your role entail, and what gives you most satisfaction to overcome?
The Wales & West region is a new one and getting up and running presents a wealth of opportunities. It isn’t without its challenges and one of the first things I did was appoint a new team that would support me and have the same ambition to grow. I took the time to create a strong team, it would have been easy to rush but I needed the right mix of people – which we have.
Ultimately, we will always make health and safety our number one priority and that’s the way it should be. We have to be meticulous in holding the highest standards when it comes to this and it is always at the forefront of our minds.
Managing a region of this size also requires a constant working knowledge of where we are financially and of where we are in terms of manpower. We need to ensure we have enough staff with the correct skills to deliver the homes this country badly needs, while maintaining financial control.
Another key factor is successfully managing and nurturing the new relationships we’re building in the region. Our customers have ever-changing priorities and we need to be able to adapt to them quickly and efficiently, really acting as a partner and trusted advisor.
Are there specific professional and personal skills that would make someone especially suited to the new homes sector?
There are a range of basic skills needed, but the first thing that comes to mind might not technically be called a skill. In my book enthusiasm is one of the most important ingredients for success and is something I always look for. Most skills can be learnt but you need to have a genuine passion for what we do – across Kier we have such committed and talented individuals and when you have this, we can look to channel energies and support new talent with training.
Our industry is constantly evolving – it’s important that people have an awareness of this. We need individuals and teams who are willing to learn and to adapt to the changes. This also requires an ability to work efficiently. The commercial viability of a project can be affected by individual workers every day and individuals need to understand the importance of their role to the wider scheme.
Finally, you need to be a team player. As diverse as this industry is, you’d be hard pushed to find a job in which teamwork isn’t important. You need to be able to communicate and work together effectively with your colleagues, clients and other contractors to move a project forward.
Do you have any advice for anyone considering the new homes industry as a career path?
I would certainly recommend it. There are so many different avenues to explore within the sector and it can offer people a varied and rewarding career.
My advice would be to look into the numerous opportunities to learn on the job. Starting with apprenticeship opportunities, then moving on to other qualifications, you can gain training and insight from hands-on experience in the industry and work out what’s right for you.
What do you do to attract the next generation in to housebuilding?
Our focus is on creating a positive working environment which engages young people. Those considering a career in the industry will look for diverse and inclusive working environments, with a clear career development path.
At Kier, we ensure we show possible recruits and new starters that this is something we take seriously, as well as promote our focus on continued training and development opportunities to highlight the scope for progression.
We think the process of attracting the next generation to the housing sector needs to start early – a good example of this is our ‘Shaping Your World’ initiative. This looks to inspire 11- to 15-year-olds and showcase everything the built environment has to offer. We have done this by creating interesting and relevant content, including making sharable avatars, produced a careers guide that is full of real life case studies and highlights the breadth of roles available as well as our pledge, whereby 1% of our workforce have become ambassadors and engaged with 10,000 students over the last 12 months.
I’ve had a truly rewarding career in the housing sector and it’s important we give back, extend opportunities to the next generation of talent and see how they can shape the houses of tomorrow.
