Early career housing professionals invited to gather for The Big Conversation

CIH Scotland’s flagship event for young and early career housing professionals, The Big Conversation, will take place on Tuesday 10 November at Wheatley House in Glasgow, bringing around 80 attendees together to discuss the future of the sector. 

Developing the next generation of young and early career housing professionals is a key priority for many housing organisations. The Voices of the Future: Building tomorrow’s housing sector report from CIH Futures suggests that once in housing, young professionals find deep meaning in their roles. However, they also report inconsistent experiences of career progression, training and management support. 

Free for all young and early career housing professionals to attend, The Big Conversation aims to help address this. Now it its eighth year, this year’s event will cover key topics such as community cohesion, career development and professionalism within housing.  

Callum Wynd, Chair of CIH Futures Scotland, said: “Attending the Big Conversation is a great chance for young housing professionals from across Scotland to get together and discuss ideas of how we can improve the housing sector and encourage people to work in it. Having been part of the Futures group since its inception in January 2026, it is a great opportunity for us to build on the work we are trying to do and encourage more people to get involved.

“I genuinely believe the young housing professionals of today are the leaders of tomorrow, so The Big Conversation is a further opportunity to develop the leaders of the sector in the coming years.”

The event is sponsored by Blackwood Homes and Care. Michelle Harrow, Director of Housing Services, explained why they chose to be actively involved: “At Blackwood, we believe professionalisation is about more than qualifications. It is about creating a culture where people are encouraged to learn, challenge established thinking and see housing as a career where they can make a genuine difference to the lives of tenants and communities.

“Supporting young and early-career professionals is particularly important to us. The housing sector needs to attract and retain talented people with different perspectives, experiences and skills if we are to respond to the challenges facing our tenants and communities.

“Within our Housing and Property Directorate, our apprentices combine practical, hands-on experience with recognised CIH qualifications, helping them build professional knowledge, confidence and skills as they develop their careers. This also creates clear opportunities to progress within Blackwood as their experience grows.

“Ultimately, we want housing to be seen as a career of choice for young people, with clear opportunities to learn, gain professional qualifications and progress. By investing in people at the start of their careers, we are strengthening the future professionalism and leadership of the housing sector.”

If you are a young or early career housing professional, you can book your free place at The Big Conversation here.