Career journeys from our members: Jas Sidhu tells his housing story

I didn’t set out to work in social housing. In truth, I think many of us don’t “find” housing; housing finds us. My route in started as a volunteer for a small housing association, through the old YTS scheme, earning £7.40 a week, which, in reality, was my bus pass for the week. That was my first “salary”. But what I gained was far bigger: I was given a chance to be part of something that mattered. My days were a mix of the practical and the personal, logging repairs, filing tenancy paperwork, answering calls, and learning quickly that behind every form was a real person trying to keep their life steady. Even as a volunteer, I took the role seriously because I could see, even then, that housing was about people, not properties.

A start that influenced the journey

Starting on the frontline shaped everything that came next. I worked across most departments and learned the business from the inside out, how each function connects, where things can go wrong, and why every role matters if we’re going to do right by our residents. I genuinely don’t believe I would be a director today without that grounding. It gave me a balanced, practical understanding of how organisations succeed (or struggle), and it built the values I still lead with: service, responsibility and doing what you say you will do.

Back then, there was no internet and no quick way to “look it up”. If I needed to understand the cost of materials or put a tender together, I did the legwork, visiting builders’ yards, measuring up items, writing down prices and comparing options by hand. It was slower and sometimes frustrating, but it taught me something I still rely on today: information sticks when you’ve had to properly research it, test it, and understand it in the real world. And when I needed to get my head around housing law or new legislation, the Library of Birmingham was my go-to, hours of reading, note-taking and joining the dots. I miss those days sometimes, not because it was easier, but because it made me resourceful, thorough, and confident in what I was advising others to do.

Opening doors and opportunities along the way

My progression in housing wasn’t something I achieved alone. One of the biggest turning points for me was being taken under the wing of a truly outstanding housing professional who mentored me early in my career. They didn’t just advise me in work hours; they gave up evenings and weekends to help me learn the craft properly, build confidence, and raise my own expectations of what I could achieve.

Over the years, I’ve also been fortunate to have several senior executive mentors in housing associations, people I’m still in touch with today, who pushed me to stretch, aimed higher on my behalf when I was still finding my voice, and believed in me before I fully believed in myself. Their confidence was a catalyst. It made me start thinking: with the right effort, standards, and support, I could one day become a senior executive too. Their belief didn’t just open doors; it changed how I saw my own potential.

Today, I’m a director of housing, responsible for services that support people’s homes and their life chances, particularly for younger residents who need stability, safety and consistent support. Alongside housing management, I’ve spent a large part of my career strengthening asset strategy and landlord compliance, because residents deserve homes that are safe, decent and well-maintained, and boards need assurance they can stand behind. I’ve also taken on leadership responsibilities in digital transformation and business intelligence, because modern housing services rely on resilient systems, good data and clear reporting. Used well, technology isn’t a “nice to have”, it’s a practical tool for stronger decision-making, better service design and improved outcomes.

Keeping up to date

Professional development has been a constant throughout my career, partly because housing never stands still, and partly because I’ve always felt a responsibility to keep learning for the sake of residents, colleagues and the organisations I serve. Over the years, the Chartered Institute of Housing has played a major role in that journey. CIH courses, events and CPD have helped me stay current, test my thinking against best practice, and build confidence in areas where the sector has evolved rapidly.

Just as importantly, CIH has given me a professional community. I’ve benefited from the generosity of CIH members over the last 30 years, people who shared insight, challenged me constructively and helped me grow. Today I’m proud to give something back. I sit on the CIH West Midlands regional board, and I also volunteer as a CIH mentor, supporting others as they build their careers in housing. For me, that’s the cycle of professionalism at its best: learning, applying, and then helping the next person along the path.

I’ve welcomed the professionalisation agenda set out in the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 and the competence and conduct requirements, due to commence in October 2026. Over time, it will require senior housing managers and executives to hold (or work towards) relevant qualifications, level four for managers and level five or foundation degrees for executives. For me, the wider opportunity is to build a culture where learning is normal at every level, for example, encouraging CIH’s level two qualification as a strong foundation for frontline colleagues, and structured routes upwards for aspiring leaders.

Making the most of CIH’s support

I use CIH in two practical ways: as a source of current learning and as a professional compass for how I lead. On the learning side, CIH’s courses, webinars, briefings and events help me keep pace with changes in regulation, consumer expectations and good practice. I treat CPD as something I can apply immediately, whether that’s improving governance and assurance, strengthening resident engagement, or sharpening how we evidence compliance and performance. I also use CIH’s network as a “sense-check” space: hearing how peers are tackling similar challenges helps me test ideas, avoid blind spots, and bring back solutions that are grounded in the reality of housing delivery.

On the standards side, the CIH professional standards provide a clear framework for what “good” looks like: resident focus, ethics, accountability, evidence-led decision-making, and continuous improvement. I use that framework to reflect on my own leadership, but also to develop others, shaping expectations in teams, encouraging constructive challenge, and reinforcing the link between professionalism and better outcomes for residents.  

Finally, I try to give back through CIH: serving on the West Midlands regional board and mentoring others. That’s how membership becomes more than a badge, it becomes a living commitment to raising standards across the sector.  A sector I am truly proud and honoured to work in.

How the past led us to the future

Over the last 30 years, housing has moved from being seen by many as a primarily operational service to being a far more regulated, data-driven and scrutinised profession. Tenant expectations have risen significantly (rightly so): people expect safe, decent homes, timely repairs, clear communication and meaningful influence over services. In England, that shift is now reinforced by stronger consumer regulation, including updated consumer standards that came into force on 1 April 2024, and the requirement to collect and publish Tenant Satisfaction Measures to support transparency and scrutiny. 

Building safety has also fundamentally reshaped the sector. Post-Grenfell, we operate in a world where assurance, evidence and accountability are non-negotiable, with new duties and roles (such as accountable persons for higher-risk buildings) under the Building Safety Act 2022 framework. Alongside that, the quality and health impacts of disrepair are receiving sharper focus. Awaab’s Law introduced statutory repair timeframes for emergency hazards and significant damp and mould risks in the social rented sector from 27 October 2025, with scope to expand to other hazards. 

At the same time, the operating environment is tougher: higher demand, complex needs, funding constraints, skills shortages, and major programmes such as decarbonisation. Add digital expectations (faster updates, better access, stronger data), and the role today demands broader expertise, stronger governance, and a relentless focus on residents’ lived experience.

Why you should choose a career in housing

If you’re considering housing, I’ll be honest: it isn’t always easy. It can be complex, pressured and emotionally demanding at times. But it is also one of the most rewarding careers you can choose, because you can see the difference you make in people’s lives.  I was 21 when I first stepped into the sector and, if I’m being truthful, I didn’t have clear career aspirations. I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, or what I was capable of. Housing helped me discover that. It gave me purpose, stretched me, and strongly aligned with my Sikh values: service, compassion, and doing what you can to support others.

What I want people to understand is that housing isn’t one job, it’s a whole ecosystem. There are opportunities across customer services, neighbourhoods, care and support, finance, HR, governance, housing management, compliance, surveying, construction, development, data and digital transformation (and many more). Whatever your strengths, there’s likely a route that fits. I now visit schools to talk about housing as a career, because it’s not always on young people’s radar when they’re choosing GCSEs or A levels, and it should be. We should be proud of our sector and celebrate it more, which is why initiatives like CIH Futures are so important.

My advice is simple: if I can do it, anyone can. Believe in yourself, stay curious, and reach out to CIH members. Join CIH, become a mentee, and learn from those who are a few steps ahead, that insight can be transformational.