An alternative career path for school leavers

With GCSE results out today, Linden Homes is highlighting to school leavers that it offers a management trainee programme as an alternative to full-time study at college or university.

The housebuilder has found that there has been a shift in students exploring an alternative path to higher education with a more vocational option which combines further education with ‘on the job’ learning and experience.

Paul Smith, head of human resources at Linden Homes, said: “To everyone who has just received their results and are not 100% sure about their next step after finishing school, I’d highly recommend you weigh up all the options that are out there. Here at Linden Homes we have a fantastic range of roles on offer that sit outside the typical construction roles that you’d expect to find. We currently have management trainees working across our land purchasing, planning, sales and marketing, technical, customer service and quantity surveying teams.”

Spencer Hunt is one of the housebuilder’s current trainee quantity surveyors. “I was attracted to the programme as it will give me two years of experience in a fast growing, fast-paced industry at a nationally respected company,” he explained. “I’ve only spent a short amount of time on the programme, but already I’ve been given responsibilities that have challenged me and helped me to develop. The programme also gives you experience of all the different aspects of the company, so once you finish you have well rounded view of the industry and know how each business function interacts”.

Fellow trainee Edward Vass decided against going to university straight after finishing at college. “I began looking at various internships across the housebuilding industry, after seeing that Linden Homes offered a programme in which I could learn about the different departments within the business all whilst gaining a qualification part-time,” he said. “I am now 18 months into the programme and have found that the land department is where my skills are best utilised and have begun studying for a degree in Urban and Environmental Planning at London Southbank University.”

Not only does the management trainee programme equip new trainees with the relevant skills and experience to forge out a successful career in the housebuilding industry, the programme also offers a range of other incentives. Trainees will receive a competitive salary as well as benefiting from an annual bonus scheme, private healthcare and discounted gym memberships.

Linden Homes’ management trainee programme is open to anyone with 5 GCSEs at Grades 4-9, including Maths and English. BTEC, A Levels and equivalent vocational qualifications are also welcomed.