You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles
The mood at the Housing 2024 Jobs Fair
Inside Housing’s Housing Hires campaign promotes the social housing sector as a place to work. We visited the Housing 2024 conference Jobs Fair to find out what is attracting people to the sector. Katharine Swindells reports
“It’s too hot!” jokes Joshua Tandy, an electrician apprentice at Wythenshawe Community Housing Association (WCHA). He is not wrong – the sun is streaming outside and the Housing 2024 Jobs Fair is heating up by the minute. Mr Tandy is here with fellow apprentice Jake Phillips, and the association’s talent acquisitions specialist Daniel Mackay, speaking to prospective hires about potential opportunities at Wythenshawe and in the social housing sector more broadly.
WCHA has a well-established apprentice scheme, Mr Mackay explains, taking on around six trades apprentices a year, and beginning to expand with a few in other departments, too. The landlord only takes on local residents, which means they get a wide variety of people at different stages of their life and career. And, adds Mr Tandy, it pays significantly more than the apprentice minimum wage of just over £6 an hour, meaning he is able to train and develop his career, while also earning enough to support his children.
Themes of personal development and investment in training come up frequently, as I speak to attendees wandering around the stands. As Inside Housing’s Housing Hires campaign looks to promote careers in social housing, there seems to be a sense that the sector is a place to stay for the long-term, and grow within.
READ MORE
Beth* has spent her whole career in social housing, and is currently a neighbourhood manager. She loves the focus on training, both for herself and that she delivers for the housing officers she manages, so is keen to stay in the sector as the training focus only grows.
John, a cladding draughtsman by trade, is old hat at jobs fairs – he is attending another today and four more this week. He says he is more than willing to re-skill for the right role, and social housing is attractive because of the growth. “We need social housing more than ever, so there will be lots of jobs,” he says.
“The money is a bit lower, but the hours and work-life balance are usually better”
Many people also reference the sector’s stability: Kwabena, who has experience as a data analyst and full stack engineer, tells me the average salaries are somewhat below what is available in the private sector, but it is worth it for the job security.
Maureen Fitzmaurice, who works in talent acquisition at Riverside, echoes this. Riverside is expanding heavily in both trades and customer service, and like most of the sector, is “squeezed” when it comes to competing on salary. But in the current economic climate, she says, the security is very attractive. “We’re not going anywhere.”
Natasha Watts, senior people advisor at MSV, says that the organisation has been working to benchmark its benefits, to make sure it can compete both within the sector and outside of it, too. She says it can be challenging, as many people are now looking for hybrid working, which isn’t always possible with a number of frontline roles, but they try to make sure the rest of the jobs package is as attractive as possible.
This sentiment is echoed by Sarah*, who currently works as a careers advisor in the education section, but previously worked in homelessness, and is considering returning to the housing world. “The money is a bit lower, but the hours and work-life balance are usually better,” she says.
But for her, the most important is the social value part of it. “My current organisation feels very target-driven,” she says, “and I want something that’s really helping people.”
*Names have been changed
Recent longform articles by Katharine Swindells
Top 50 Biggest Builders 2024
Which are the 50 housing associations building the most homes? What tenures are they building? And, with warnings already sounded about starts by the G15, what is happening to the pipeline? Katharine Swindells reports
Ready to check out: the lengthy repairs forcing tenants to live in hotels
Inside Housing has found tenants waiting months in temporary accommodation for repairs on their homes to be completed – or even started. Katharine Swindells reports
The estate where tenants are taking collective legal action on damp and mould
Tenants on one east London estate are teaming up to file a joint legal claim about the damp and mould in their homes. Katharine Swindells reports
The case for flooring to be included when social homes are let
Wales has just passed regulations that new social lets must come with flooring included. But with hundreds of thousands of families across the UK still living in social homes without carpet and flooring, should English and Scottish social landlords follow suit? Katharine Swindells reports
Latest sector jobs
Jobs.insidehousing.co.uk is the sector’s go-to place for career development. Click here to see all current live vacancies.
