Ambitious buyer sees bright future for women in housing industry

Alice Fisher, from Brackley, joined national housebuilder Miller Homes as part of their newly-formed South Midlands region in 2022, the same year the region was launched, and has had a front-row seat to the sustained growth of the region, and its employees, over the past 18 months.

The 26-year-old is one of two current full-time female employees at the South Midlands region, and is encouraged by the company’s openness and values towards equality within the workplace.

Alice said: “I’ve really enjoyed my time with Miller Homes so far and it’s been a brilliant opportunity to join the company at a time of real growth for the South Midlands region.

“We started off as a small team with room to grow, and in the last year we’ve been afforded the opportunity to employ a number of people into several roles across the business due to the additional housing sites we have progressed through to land purchases and planning consents.

“Although I’m currently one of two female full-time employees, there’s been no limit to my career progression opportunities within Miller Homes, and I’m fully confident we would employ women or men into any of our available roles should they be the best candidate for the position.”

Alice’s day-to-day role is largely office-based at Miller Homes’ South Midlands headquarters in Northampton, but she has been offered the opportunity to learn and develop both on site and in the office since joining the housebuilder.

She said: “I try to get out on site as much as I can, because it aids my development within my own career to learn about each of the developments we’re working on and understanding how the teams work together on site.

“Miller Homes offers a broad range of training and development opportunities to its staff, and I have had a yearly personal development review to look back on my performance to-date and look ahead to what progress looks like for me in my role and future roles within the business.

“I’m really motivated by the prospect of growing in my career at Miller Homes, and to be joined by many more women in future months and years as we continue to grow and develop as a region.”

Alice was inspired to join the construction industry by her brother, who himself is a commercial manager for another housebuilder, and hasn’t looked back since.

She was speaking during Miller Homes’ week-long celebrations for Women in Construction Week, and International Women’s Day on Thursday 8th March.

Alice added: “I think it’s important to celebrate our female colleagues and peers, and it’s helpful to promote women in senior roles of the housing industry, but I don’t think it’s the only way that young women should see and access the construction sector.

“If you’re committed enough, and you work hard enough, your gender won’t define your limits within the workplace.”