The professionalisation of skills agenda was one of the first SHINE collaborations.
Six SHINE members (believe housing, Bernicia, Gentoo, Karbon, Thirteen and Home Group) brought together their learning experts to develop a regional approach to professionalisation in housing. This has been spurred on as part of the competence and conduct standards which have been confirmed by government this July, and come into practice from October 2026 with a three year transition period.
The group set out to work with training providers to create a programme of learning that incorporates current challenges faced by housing providers while obtaining the CIH Level 4 and Level 5 qualifications in Housing Management and Maintenance.
There have been over 40 learners in the initial cohorts, which have been an opportunity to test the process of delivery and improve as we go.
Steve Dixon, Voids Manager at believe housing is one of the learners on the new Level 4 Housing Maintenance qualification.
Steve said:
“I wanted to deepen my understanding of housing maintenance and develop my professional skills. I’ve always been interested in how well-maintained homes contribute to tenant wellbeing and community stability, and this course offered a structured way to build expertise. I’m gaining both technical knowledge, and the strategic insight to make informed decisions and improve housing standards. One of the most valuable things we are learning is how interconnected the various aspects of housing maintenance are. And one of my biggest shifts in perspective has been understanding that housing maintenance is not just a technical task, but a service that directly impacts people’s lives. It’s important to balance our investment in upkeep of properties with the needs of tenants for affordable rents. This helps us deliver just what they need without compromising on quality or people’s wellbeing and quality of life. I’d recommend courses like this to housing managers as a great investment in their future.”
An evaluation of all learners on this programme is currently underway and will be covered in a future edition of the SHINE newsletter.
For more information on the new standards and qualifications contact your learning or OD manager or for information on the partnership contact Lindsay.Sheridan@believehousing.co.uk
The professionalisation of skills agenda was one of the first SHINE collaborations.
Six SHINE members (believe housing, Bernicia, Gentoo, Karbon, Thirteen and Home Group) brought together their learning experts to develop a regional approach to professionalisation in housing. This has been spurred on as part of the competence and conduct standards which have been confirmed by government this July, and come into practice from October 2026 with a three year transition period.
The group set out to work with training providers to create a programme of learning that incorporates current challenges faced by housing providers while obtaining the CIH Level 4 and Level 5 qualifications in Housing Management and Maintenance.
There have been over 40 learners in the initial cohorts, which have been an opportunity to test the process of delivery and improve as we go.
Steve Dixon, Voids Manager at believe housing is one of the learners on the new Level 4 Housing Maintenance qualification.
Steve said:
An evaluation of all learners on this programme is currently underway and will be covered in a future edition of the SHINE newsletter.
For more information on the new standards and qualifications contact your learning or OD manager or for information on the partnership contact Lindsay.Sheridan@believehousing.co.uk
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Read our latest SHINE newsletter - Winter 2025
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