Requiring relevant qualifications is an opportunity to invest in our people

I may be stating the obvious, but we must recognise that our staff in customer-facing roles, or those making decisions on behalf of customers, can only be properly equipped for their roles if they can demonstrate they have the correct skills and knowledge base. Housing management is complicated, and our customers often face huge disadvantages. Done well, it requires a combination of sound technical skills, wise judgement and fantastic interpersonal skills. The introduction of mandatory professional qualifications for senior managers can only underpin this, enabling us to provide better, more consistent services.

However, this won’t work if it is just about getting a single qualification at one point in time. The key is to keep learning; these skills and knowledge base need refreshing all the time.

Despite the great work of the Chartered Institute of Housing and its enduring offer of qualifications, membership and continuous professional development, the sector has generally moved away from professional qualifications.

A number of things have contributed to this. University and higher education fees have increased, and the number of housing-related courses on offer have reduced dramatically, especially those offering a day-release option.

At the same time, housing management has come to be regarded as a broad church, with a greater emphasis placed on customer service and generic management skills.

While I know that most providers have continued to invest in learning and development, perhaps we need to face up to the fact that we have undervalued technical housing management skills and knowledge. And without a commitment to a standard set of qualifications, there might be certain skills that we have lost. 

Recommitting to qualifications, and to professionalism more broadly, is a great step for housing providers in meeting the key asks of the Better Social Housing Review and refocusing on our core purpose as social landlords.

But don’t get me wrong, there are clearly going to be real challenges in developing the detailed standards that will follow the bill. First of all, the introduction of compulsory qualifications should not be seen as a panacea that will address all the skills problems in the sector. A wider culture shift is needed, and the drive to improve professional standards can only be one part of that. There is plenty that can’t be learned by gaining a set qualification at a certain point in time.

The sector is also under pressure from all directions, and this is clearly going to place an additional demand on our resources and time. Work will need to be done to understand the capability and speed at which the sector is able to broaden qualification take-up.

Recruitment and retention of good colleagues are challenges many of us face. No doubt some housing staff will be reluctant to get back into formal education, particularly if they already have vast experience in the sector or are struggling with capacity.

But there is plenty of opportunity here, too. Professional qualifications can make staff feel more valued, confident and secure in their roles. Implemented properly, this could really boost the profile of the sector and the status of housing management, and in the long term attract more people to housing management as an attractive career option.

So yes, there will be challenges. But this can be done, and it can have a positive impact on the sector, particularly if we see this as an opportunity to invest in our people, as opposed to another burden.

There must be strong leadership and collaboration. But most of all, there must always be a focus on ensuring that any qualification keeps the customer experience at its heart.

Carol Matthews, chief executive, Riverside