North West housing association commits to staff development

preston-campus-arial-student-centre-engineering-innovation-centre.jpg.jpg

Philip Thompson, a capital delivery manager at Onward Homes, shares how investing in their staff is helping retain the best talent and bridge skills gaps.

Onward Homes is a housing association in the North West of England, with a workforce of over 800 and divisions covering Lancashire, Greater Manchester, and Merseyside.

Established in April 2018, Onward Homes brought together several existing housing associations within the region.

Currently, Philip Thompson has supported three degree apprentices to complete a BSc (Hons) Building Surveying Degree Apprenticeship at the University of Lancashire.

The first degree apprentice was Tracey O’Neill in 2018, who joined Onward Homes as a receptionist and administration assistant in 2015.

Philip said: “Tracey was working with us as a project coordinator, and we saw that spark in her. We try to invest in our team members, and we want to retain good staff, so we approached her and asked if she would be interested in doing a building surveying degree."

Tracey said: "At 45, doing a degree was quite scary. I'm very fortunate. I work for a company that has provided me with experiences to further my progress as I have worked through the degree."

Tracey was awarded the ‘Best Student in Building Surveying’ by the RICS North West Regional Board and secured a secondment as a Retrofit Assistant Project Manager after graduation.

Talking about her experience, Tracey said: “At 45, doing a degree was quite scary. I'm very fortunate. I work for a company that has provided me with experiences to further my progress as I have worked through the degree. Every step of the way they’ve encouraged me to get more involved, pushing me out of my comfort zone whilst supporting me.

Tracey added: “I found the labs really good. In the first couple of years, you do a lot of hands-on experiments, which really makes you understand how different components work, whether it be damp and mould, using a borescope for looking into the cavities, or mixing different kinds of cement and working out the ratios for different requirements and so on.”

Philip said: "It takes a lot of time from them, but the benefits outweigh that. You could have them for the next 20 to 30 years: they're potential MRICS (Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors).

“We do struggle to get building surveyors and quantity surveyors that we need. People just don't really know what housing associations are doing and what they're about. We spend millions of pounds a year, and people don't seem to realise that there is an option there, that they can come and work in housing.”

Philip recommends Degree Apprenticeships to other employers.

He said: “It takes a lot of time from them, but the benefits outweigh that. You could have them for the next twenty to thirty years: they're potential MRICS, they have the full degree behind them, you know that you can trust them, and you know they're going to provide professional service and do an excellent job.”

A commitment to Degree Apprenticeships is part of Onward Homes long-term plan: “I've got a succession plan through the whole team. I’ll always seek to get people trained up to degree level.”

Enjoyed this? Read more from University of Lancashire

Latest news

1

BAE Systems workers vote for strike action BAE Systems production

BAE Systems workers vote for strike action

23 Oct 2025

2

National Cyber Force launches startup programme in the North West Nick Miles, National Cyber Force deputy director for Samlesbury

National Cyber Force launches startup programme in the North West

23 Oct 2025

3

Foresight announces £90m first close of its third North West regional investment fund Foresight announces £90 million first close of its third dedicated North West regional investment fund

Foresight announces £90m first close of its third North West regional investment fund

23 Oct 2025

4

McMurrays Haulage expands fleet after contract win Warehouse Supervisor at Pets Choice Brad Eddleston and McMurrays Sales Manager Rob Spencer. Photo credit: McMurrays Haulage Limited

McMurrays Haulage expands fleet after contract win

21 Oct 2025

5

Dragons' Den star to shine on Lancashire Business Day Derry Green

Dragons' Den star to shine on Lancashire Business Day

21 Oct 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

Help to grow management course
Help to grow - barriers to growth.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
26 Sep 2025 - 16 Dec 2025

Help to grow management course

Preston Campus , Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 15:00

RISE - Lancashire's unique leadership programme for women
thumbnail_Emma Weston Illustration WENDY BOWERS RISE Illustrstion.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
22 Oct 2025 - 18 Mar 2026

RISE - Lancashire's unique leadership programme for women

East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, Clayton le Moors, BB5 5JR

09:30 - 15:30

Women scaling up Blackpool Fylde and Wyre
LBV Hub Seminars
22 Oct 2025 - 09 Jan 2026

Women scaling up Blackpool Fylde and Wyre

The Small Business Academy, Blackpool, FY4 5JX

09:30 - 15:30

North West Business Expo 2025
https---cdn.evbuc.com-images-880456273-4862066883-1-original.20241022-105445.jpeg.jpg
LBV Hub Exhibitions
24 Oct 2025 - 24 Oct 2025

North West Business Expo 2025

Bolton Stadium Hotel, Bolton, BL6 6SF

09:00 - 15:00

Chamber Business Lunch – October
LBV Hub Networking
24 Oct 2025 - 24 Sep 2025

Chamber Business Lunch – October

Lancaster Golf Club, Lancaster, LA2 0AJ

11:00 - 13:30

Lancaster District Business Support Expo
Lancs-cham-logo.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
29 Oct 2025 - 29 Oct 2025

Lancaster District Business Support Expo

The Platform, Morecambe, LA4 4DB

10:00 - 15:00

Chamber Breakfast Networking – November
Lancs-cham-logo.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
06 Nov 2025 - 06 Nov 2025

Chamber Breakfast Networking – November

Porsche Centre South Lakes, Carnforth, LA6 1FW

08:30 - 10:30

Lancashire Police business update with The Police and Crime Commissioner
Lancs-cham-logo.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Roundtables
10 Nov 2025 - 10 Nov 2025

Lancashire Police business update with The Police and Crime Commissioner

Lancaster Castle, Lancaster, LA1 1YN

14:00 - 16:00

AI, Creativity, and what it means to be human
2.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
11 Nov 2025 - 11 Nov 2025

AI, Creativity, and what it means to be human

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

18:00 - 20:00

Beyond the Brand: Building trust through values and integrity
1.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
11 Nov 2025 - 11 Nov 2025

Beyond the Brand: Building trust through values and integrity

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

18:00 - 20:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV124 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin