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Vistry Group signs BuildForce charter to encourage ex-military into construction

- 11 Jun 20

Ex-military personnel wanting to join the construction industry have received a major boost after Vistry Group signed the BuildForce Veteran Alliance Charter to support them into the industry.

The national housebuilding group – which includes Bovis Homes, Linden Homes and Vistry
Partnerships – is throwing its weight behind former service men and women looking to transfer their skills by working with the industry-led programme BuildForce.

This is the latest move in Vistry’s support for armed forces personnel, as the company puts in place a group of ambassadors, champions and mentors to encourage armed forces leavers and veterans to build a new career in the built environment.

Former Royal Engineer Roger Morton, group performance director at Vistry, which employs around 100 ex-forces personnel, said: “Vistry’s signing of the BuildForce charter is the latest milestone in our journey of strong support for former service men and women looking to utilise their skills and transfer their experience and knowledge into the construction industry.

“We work very closely with the military and have been rewarded with fantastic employees showing all the commitment, determination, hard work and ability the armed forces is renowned for. We encourage all those looking for a career in housebuilding, across our wide variety of departments – from site teams, to technical to finance – to get in touch.”

BuildForce aims to inspire, engage and enable service leavers and veterans to effectively
transition to sustainable employment in the construction industry, through a unique national
network of mentors and champions.

Bovis Homes hosted a successful BuildForce Armed Forces Insight Day at the housebuilder’s
Reading training centre last year to highlight opportunities between potential candidates and employers. The event, which highlighted the company’s work with BuildForce over a few years, also included interview workshops and advice sessions.

Caroline Logan, BuildForce programme director, said: “BuildForce has been working with Bovis Homes over the last few years and they have been instrumental to our mentoring and work placement programmes, resulting in a number of ex-military personnel employment.”

“Bovis Homes also hosted one of our most successful Armed Forces insight days at their training centre, where we saw 70 military delegates in attendance. We are, therefore, delighted to begin a new partnership with Vistry Group and continue the excellent work with the wider organisation engaging with our military talent pool and securing further employment.”

Bovis Homes received the Government’s Defence Employee Recognition Scheme Gold Award, last year, for a raft of initiatives, including providing employment opportunities and helping those connected to the military onto the housing ladder.

The housebuilder also sponsored last year’s Armed Forces Day National Event in Salisbury in
June, which marks the service of men and women in the armed forces and includes three days of celebrations including a military parade.

Vistry also offers a discount scheme for military personnel and there is the Forces Help to Buy, which allows service personnel to borrow up to a maximum of £25,000 interest free.
Find out more about Vistry’s work with the military and the discount schemes available.