View publication - Chartered Institute of Housing

PART ONE: LEARNING TODAY
not always sit easily with the commitment to localism championed by the same
Coalition Government.
Taken together these trends are impacting upon the vision, values and principles now
feeding into business planning processes, with implications for delivery planning and use
of current and future assets. Questions are being posed by a range of housing
commentators as it is becoming clear that for the foreseeable future the housing
industry will be operating in a climate of financial prudence, efficiency gains and
dwindling public funding. Taking a longer term view it is unlikely that things will ever
revert back to the status quo, which perhaps never really existed: such is the diversity of
the housing industry. However, housing organisations have proved themselves to be
resilient, adaptable and pragmatic and there is no reason to suppose that they will not
continue to be so in the future.
The changing context for housing education and learning
For many professional bodies the emphasis in their programmes of learning leading to
professional membership has been on developing specific knowledge and skills
associated with the particular subject discipline. This has been no different for CIH with
its emphasis on promoting the ‘art and science of housing’ (CIH Royal Charter). This
approach has also been perpetuated by other sector based organisations involved in
promoting and establishing standards for different occupations. Hence what we have in
the housing industry is a plethora of lists of skills and competencies required for working
in different parts of the industry, perpetuating the prescriptive, functionally based
approach to analysing housing work rather than a more strategic analysis of
organisational needs across a range of housing organisations.
Professional housing education has traditionally been delivered on a part time basis with
learning also taking place on the job. Whilst there is still a demand for badged, formally
recognised qualifications, which provide students and employers with the evidence-base
for recognition, the way in which this is being delivered is changing. Accredited
undergraduate and postgraduate housing courses run by colleges and universities in
England are diminishing in number and in-house certificates delivered at Levels 2, 3 and
4 (all sub-degree qualifications) are increasingly being supported by organisations. These
certificates tend to focus on immediate, job related competencies reflecting structural
roles rather than developing the skills and competencies that people bring with them.
For example, we know of graduates who are being placed on Level 2 courses
(equivalent to GCSE), because the job they have only ‘merits’ that qualification. There
also appears to be a current reduction in numbers moving on to achieve CIH Chartered
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