I fell into housing, but here’s why you should choose it

In this guest blog, Connor Clarke from Hedyn shares his unexpected path into housing and explains why the sector offers more varied and rewarding careers than many people realise.

I didn’t know what a housing association was

It's a bit of a cliché, but I genuinely fell into housing. Nearly 10 years ago, I didn't know what a housing association was, let alone that it would lead to a career spanning policy, performance, strategy and risk.

After completing a bachelor’s degree in Human Geography and a master's in Regional and Environmental Policy, I knew I was interested in topics like poverty, inequality, homelessness and bringing communities together. What I didn't know was that housing brought all of those interests together, or that it was even a career path I could take.

Like many graduates, I was trying to work out how the subjects I'd spent years studying translated into a job. Looking back, what surprises me most is that housing was such a natural fit for my interests, yet nobody ever mentioned it as a career option.

Relocating for work wasn't possible for me at the time, so I moved back home and took a zero-hours contract job in retail while trying to figure out what came next.

A chance encounter

I still remember the 4am shifts, unloading pallets of frozen goods from a lorry into the store's giant freezer. During a break, and partly to warm up, I went for a walk through town and spotted a banner advertising an apprenticeship open day with a housing association.

At first, I dismissed it. Housing wasn't something I'd ever considered as a career and, if I'm honest, I didn't really understand what housing associations were or how they helped people.

Curiosity eventually got the better of me and I started researching the organisation and the wider housing sector that evening. What I found surprised me.

Housing wasn't just about bricks and mortar: it was about supporting people, tackling inequality, creating opportunities, strengthening communities and providing safe, affordable homes for all. The more I read, the more I realised it connected directly with the subjects I cared about. It brought together issues of place, poverty, regeneration and social justice in a way that felt practical and meaningful.

I applied for the policy and research apprenticeship, and that decision ended up shaping the rest of my career.

Learning and growing in housing

Having just completed a master's degree, becoming an apprentice probably wasn't the career path I'd imagined for myself. Looking back, though, it was exactly what I needed: a way into a sector I knew very little about and an opportunity to learn from the ground up. It was good to get qualified while I learned practical skills on the job, and I completed a CIH Level 2 Certificate in Housing Practice as part of the apprenticeship.

It quickly became clear just how much sits behind the term ‘housing’. As well as doing the essential job of providing and maintaining homes, housing associations are involved in community investment, regeneration, sustainability, development, customer services, digital transformation, finance, governance and influencing public policy.

Over the last decade, my career has taken me through policy, research, performance, governance, strategy and risk. The great thing about a job in housing is that none of this was mapped out for me when I started. I've simply followed the areas I found interesting, taken opportunities when they arose and continued developing through a mix of qualifications, training and practical experience. One of the things I value most about housing is that there are so many opportunities to learn, grow and specialise, whatever your interests.

Today, I work as a strategy, policy and risk manager for Hedyn. My role involves looking at the bigger picture: helping the organisation plan for the future, understand and manage risks, seize opportunities, respond to changes in policy and regulation, and ensure we're delivering on our commitments to tenants and communities. It also means helping Hedyn deliver on its commitments to residents and communities and its purpose of creating connected communities where everyone can live well. One day, I might be helping shape a consultation response on national housing policy. The next, supporting strategic planning or working with colleagues to improve services for residents.

What makes housing unique is that strategic decisions and day-to-day services ultimately have a direct impact on people's lives. The decisions, policies and strategies we develop aren't abstract concepts, they influence the homes people live in, the services they receive and the opportunities available to them.

That's what keeps me interested.

Would I recommend a career in housing?

Absolutely.

Looking back, housing was a great fit for the things I was interested in, yet it never occurred to me as a career option. I guarantee I'm not alone in that.

There will be people studying subjects such as geography, economics and accountancy; or people with interests in climate change, community development, technology and data, who have no idea how relevant their skills and passions could be to housing.

I started my career because I happened to spot a banner during a break that I was planning to ignore. I'm very glad I didn't.

If you're interested in people, places, communities and making a difference, housing offers the opportunity to combine professional development with genuine social purpose.

Nearly ten years ago, I didn't know what a housing association was. Today, I can't imagine having taken a different path. I might have fallen into housing, but knowing what I know now, I'd choose it again.