KEY PARTNER: BELL GROUP

Bell is one of the largest property services contractors in the UK, both in terms of geographical coverage and directly employed workforce.

About us

Family-owned and operated since 1988, our group has grown to offer a full spectrum of property services including planned and project works in painting, roofing, flooring, passive and active fire protection, kitchen and bathroom replacements, multi-disciplinary fabric upgrades, retrofit and energy services, disrepair works, and response and void maintenance contracts. These are delivered by expert, directly employed teams across 37 branches.

Our Work with Lakes College

As part of the Lakes College Employer Pledge of Excellence, Bell UK is proud to be a Gold Key Partner supporting initiatives that inspire, equip, and prepare learners for successful careers in the property services and maintenance sector. Our partnership connects education and industry through:

Co-creating sessions and workshops that enhance the curriculum, ensuring it remains relevant to industry needs
Delivering workshops and presentations on specialist skills, emerging technologies, and career pathways in property services
Mentoring and sharing our industry expertise to raise aspirations and strengthen pathways into skilled, sustainable careers
Hosting work placements and apprenticeship opportunities to give learners valuable, hands-on experience on real projects
Partnering with Lakes College to support community projects that learners can engage with during their placements

Why

Apprentices are at the heart of our business. Our Chairman, who left school at 16 to embark on an apprenticeship, was awarded an OBE by The Queen in 2019 for his “commitment to apprenticeship development throughout the UK and in the construction industry.” For 35 years, we have consistently maintained around 10% of our workforce as apprentices, demonstrating our ongoing dedication to developing new talent.

Looking Ahead

Through this partnership, we aim to support full- and part-time students committed to construction trade programmes, either through the construction diploma or national progression award, with valuable extra-curricular activities. Our goal is to bridge the gap between education and work by offering engaging workshops that enhance the curriculum. Growing our own talent pool of qualified, skilled people underpins our quality, customer care, expertise, employee satisfaction, loyalty, and long-term sustainability. These partnerships allow us to work closely with those ready to take their first steps into the industry.