Building the skills to deliver more decent, affordable homes

Earlier this year, I read the National Housing Federation’s (NHF) new business strategy with great interest. Based on insight from its 700 members, it set out how the NHF will support the sector to deliver more homes and ensure every person has a quality, affordable place to live.

Among its key commitments is helping housing associations to deliver “homes that are decent” and to “build more new social and affordable homes, while regenerating and refurbishing out-of-date homes at scale.”

It’s an ambition that very much aligns with our work at PfP Thrive, where we’re helping address one of the most pressing challenges facing the housing sector: the growing skills gap.

What is PFP Thrive?

PfP Thrive is part of Places for People. It's the country’s leading social enterprise creating a sustainable industry that not only supports individuals in building their careers but also strengthens the communities they live and work in.

Through structured learning solutions, we help businesses develop a skilled workforce that drives growth, efficiency, and long-term social impact.

A commitment to the sector

Our team designs and delivers bespoke training programmes for housing and construction, from trade apprenticeships and compliance training to leadership and professional development. We train across the country and our block release model means we can create the next generation of tradespeople rooted in workplace experiences whilst being supported with technical training.

The technical training is delivered in our skills centre in Derby. Located in the heart of the country, the centre serves as the national base for delivering bespoke training programmes, from compliance and trade skills apprenticeships to leadership and professional development – designed to meet the evolving needs of the UK’s workforce.

Our aim here is simple: to ensure the sector has the skilled, confident workforce it needs to build, maintain and manage the next generation of homes.

We launched just over a year ago, but we’ve already done so much, with our first cohort of apprentices beginning their studies just a few weeks ago. That group spans a diverse range of learners – from young apprentices starting out in their careers to existing housing professionals seeking to upskill. For us, it’s never been just about attracting new talent, but about supporting those already within the industry to evolve and thrive.

Responding to a shifting skills agenda

It’s been a year of learning too – not only for our students, but for us as an organisation.

The skills agenda has rarely been more active. In March, the Chancellor announced £600 million in additional funding to boost construction and retrofit skills as part of the government’s Growth Plan. The introduction of new Vocation Level (V-Level) qualifications this autumn marks another shift towards aligning education more closely with industry demand.

We’ve learned to stay agile and responsive to these developments, engaging with government and sector partners to demonstrate how PfP Thrive can play an active role in delivering on these national priorities.

Understanding the needs of housing associations

It is our relationships with the sector where our attention is most focused.

In the past year, we’ve already partnered with more than 50 housing associations, building a clear picture of their evolving workforce challenges. From maintenance teams adapting to net zero technologies, to leadership teams navigating new regulatory and compliance frameworks, every organisation faces unique pressures and working together has helped us shape our programmes to meet each company’s needs.

It's a tailored and intelligent approach of developing programmes that work for individual organisations, while aligning with the sector’s shared ambition to deliver better homes, faster. We’re proud to work across all levels, from chief executives to HR and people managers, ensuring our offer supports both strategic and operational goals, but I’m keen to speak to even more people to shift the dial on this growing crisis.

Capturing experience and inspiring the next generation

Another challenge we continue to focus on is encouraging experienced professionals to share their knowledge with the next generation. Mentoring is a crucial part of closing the skills gap, and we’ve been working with industry partners to find practical ways to capture and pass on that expertise.

It is equally true though that older people wish to stay in the sector. Our own PfP Thrive research in 2024 found that 35% of the current construction workforce is over 50 years old. Yet, despite their wealth of experience, men in this age group are less likely than younger colleagues to receive additional training from their employers.

All this is compounded by other shocking statistics too. The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) estimates that the UK will need an additional 251,500 construction workers by 2028, including thousands of trades vital to housing delivery, while our own PfP Thrive research found that the industry faces a critical shortfall of 140,000 vacancies. Alarmingly, this challenge is intensifying, with 55% of companies reporting recruitment difficulties in the final quarter of 2023, up from just 29% at the start of that year.

Meeting that demand will require collaboration across education, employers and the housing sector itself – something we are committed to driving forward.

Building on strong foundations

Our journey has only just begun, but we’ve already seen the impact. When Kate Henderson, Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation, visited our Derby Skills Hub this summer, she described it as “a brilliant example of how housing associations are contributing towards the government’s growth agenda.”

That endorsement reflects exactly what we set out to achieve, but this is only the start of the movement.

Henry Ford put it so well, “Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success". PfP Thrive is a testament to us coming together and collaboration is key if we’re to tackle the sector’s skills shortage and deliver the ambition set out in the NHF's strategy. With continued support and shared purpose, I’m confident we can make a lasting difference.