28 Oct 2015
Chartered membership - why take the experienced professional route?
Jameel Malik, director of operations, Habintng Housing Association plains why taking the experienced professional route to chartered membership was a career move of real value.
My housing journey
I'm currently the head of service delivery for Cotman Housing Association, part of the Places for People Group - one of the UK's largest property development, management and regeneration companies. I'm enjoying working for such a progressive and spirited group.
In the past, I've worked for Warwick District Council as the head of housing and property services, and before this, I'd worked for Hull City Council, Walsall Housing Group, and Sandwell Council.
In the mid-2000s, I decided to pursue a professional role in the housing sector, and I knew that CIH needed to be my first port of call. If you're serious about a career in housing, then chartered membership with CIH is crucial. It demonstrates a commitment to the housing profession and puts a focus on boosting personal and professional development.
There are different routes to chartered membership - I took the experienced professional route, which is for housing professionals who want to demonstrate they have the knowledge required to lead people and manage change. It was a good fit for me and I found it very interesting. Things will change for me now I'm a chartered member - I feel it's improved my leadership skills and has given me a greater insight into different ethical perspectives. It's also taught me some strategies to improve my reflective skills and will enhance my continuous professional development.
The learning I undertook as part of the experienced professional route has enabled me to identify areas for improvement in my day-to-day role and has also fine-tuned the tools I have available to put successful change management into place.
I know that CIH has recently launched its new housing academy, to bring its training and qualifications under one roof. I think it's a much-needed resource and one which will grow in popularity. I think the healthy balance of academic and professional experience and the opportunity to learn online will continue to ensure CIH stands out from the crowd.
