“We are the problem,” say industry leaders as they gather to debate the future of the housing workforce

Housing and construction leaders convened in Derby this week for a day of frank debate on the growing skills crisis that threatens the UK’s ability to build and maintain homes. 

Hosted by PfP Thrive, part of Places for People, the event brought together senior figures from housing associations, training providers, and contractors, all united by one candid admission: “We are the problem.”

PfP Thrive, which delivers bespoke training programmes to tackle the industry’s acute skills shortage, welcomed 50 delegates to Derby – the city that will soon be home its flagship academy opening this autumn. 

In an opening address on the day, Jen Radcliffe, Head of Partnerships at PfP Thrive, set the tone, asserting that “the housing sector has been its own blocker”. “We need to do more than just offer training,” she added.

Among the speakers was Phil Pemberton, MD of Property Services at Riverside, who delivered a blunt appraisal of the workforce demographics. “I and others in this room are part of the problem,” he declared. “Too many of us are men over 50, and as peers retire, they take vital knowledge with them. We must incentivise experienced colleagues to remain as mentors, while also motivating young people with slick technology and modern ways of working.” Pemberton went on to describe a 20% surge in social housing repair requests since the Covid19 lockdowns, driven by new building safety regulations and an ageing housing stock. “We must engage government and educational bodies, so they understand our capacity gap, and lobby for the resources to build, and maintain, homes to the highest standard.”

Russell Thompson, CEO of Direct Works Group, echoed this call for quality over quantity. Praising recent government commitments to recruit 100,000 new workers into construction, he nevertheless warned that sheer numbers would be meaningless without proper skills. “Training 100,000 people is a positive step, but unless we deliver a truly sophisticated, structured training system, we will have failed. We’ve watered down our trades over the years, and we now need deeper, broader and more diverse learning.”

Sarah Turner of City & Guilds, drawing on her organisation’s newly published Foundations for the Future report, highlighted that 52% of current vacancies remain unfilled through lack of skills, qualifications or experience. “Skills change lives and build futures,” she said. “Apprenticeships aren’t just for school-leavers; they should be an option for people of all ages and backgrounds. The apprenticeship levy is underused, yet it represents a golden opportunity to invest in every discipline across housing.”

The day also explored innovative solutions to retain apprentices. Ettan Bazil of the RAFT charity revealed that 44% of apprentices fail to complete their programmes, often due to the burden of portfolio work. RAFT’s AI powered mentoring platform now offers free digital resources and remote support, allowing learners to focus on practical skills. “While the Chancellor’s Spring Statement skills fund is welcome,” Bazil noted, “we must ensure that candidates can complete their training – or all that investment will be wasted.”

Further sessions examined pathways to a more diverse workforce, inspired by PfP Thrive’s Cambridge University research, which found that underrepresentation has left a third of potential talent untapped. Lauren Courty AD of Homes and Building Safety for Sanctuary called for urgent action on digital skills, while Tom Langley of WPS and Liz O’Connor of Horton Housing urged the creation of consortiums to give smaller contractors a collective voice. Harry Flanaghan of Novus added that newcomers must be given time to learn: “It may cost more to employ an apprentice initially, but after four years they become fully fledged professionals.”

Tom Arey, Director of PfP Thrive, summed up the challenge by saying: “We face not only a skills shortage, but a future skills gap in emerging technologies like air source heat pumps and solar installations. We have great carpenters and brilliant customer service teams, but too often those skills are siloed. PfP Thrive exists to bridge these gaps and build a workforce that is both technically excellent and service oriented.”

As the day drew to a close, Jen Radcliffe reaffirmed the sector’s shared responsibility:

Operating from 20 locations nationwide, PfP Thrive will open its Derby Academy this autumn as part of its mission to train over 100 apprentices in its first year. For more information on its flexible apprenticeships, short courses and organisational development programmes, visit www.placesforpeople.co.uk/pfp-thrive.