Here at PA, we offer work placement opportunities for residents, their families, and the families of colleagues aged 16 and over (with those under 18 requiring their parents' consent) at our Case House and Bede Island offices. This year, the opportunity is running between June and December.
Isaac, a family member of one of our colleagues, is passionate about the housing sector which meant that his experience was extremely valuable to him. He provided his honest feedback for his week at PA Housing, which you can read below:
"Alongside being a talent manager, I’ve always had a keen interest and passion for residential development and regeneration.
"I’ve been spreading the news about looking for opportunities within housing providers and developers amongst friends, family, and social media – whether that's internships, work experience, or entry level roles. So, when a relative who works for PA Housing made me aware of the work experience opportunities, I applied immediately. I had been following his journey at PA and was familiar with the great work the company had been doing, so it was a placement I was really excited for.
"Spending time with the fantastic team at PA in their Case House office in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey was an insightful experience and a real eye-opener into the many functions that come together to operate a high-quality social housing provider.
"I know a lot goes into providing quality and sustainable housing, whilst ensuring the community has confidence that their needs, welfare, and opinions are at the forefront of such a company's operations.
"So, even though I already knew my skillset and passion pulled me closer to the land and development area of PA, I wanted to explore other areas where I could potentially add value. I was keen to get a broader understanding of the operational departments of a social housing provider. Coming from a background where access to quality infrastructure was limited, I’ve now seen first-hand how regeneration can transform communities from boosting the local economy to inspiring the next generation.
"I also enjoyed that the PA leadership were friendly and approachable. I managed to hustle some face-to-face time with two Directors (Charles Ellis and Suzannah Taylor). Although they didn’t have to, they allocated me time in their day to pick their brains and get some advice which I’m very grateful for. Businesses are run from the top down and their openness and people-first attitude feeds down to the rest of the staff. Special thanks to them for their warm welcome and invaluable insights.
"Naturally, as I’m keen on Development, Tuesday was the day I enjoyed most. A huge thank you to Junior, who has been instrumental, alongside Hill Group UK and Elmbridge Borough Council, in delivering Laurelwood Place which is PA’s latest development. This scheme replaces an outdated block of 64 flats with a new, contemporary building, providing 97 much-needed affordable homes across social rent and shared ownership.
"It’s encouraging to see the tangible difference that thoughtful design, strong partnerships, and community-focused leadership can make. Sonny and Junior from the team were great at running me through the Southall and Laurelwood Projects.
"I might have preferred to have been more aware of the structure of what I'd be learning throughout the week and to have been run through more live activities. However, I did get some live experience into what PA's Neighbourhood Coordinators and Customer Service Teams get up to in their day-to-day roles. If I had the chance, I'd have liked to be on the placement for another week!
"I would definitely recommend it. It’s important to get a grasp of the different areas I was exposed to. It gave me a better understanding and appreciation of how to provide an all round quality service to the public. This understanding would give a future candidate more of an insight into what they’re really interested in, and where they can add value to a business. Also, any future candidate wouldn't be lacking in support or information as all the staff I shadowed were friendly, knowledgeable, and keen to share."
If you’re a resident or a resident’s family member and you’d like to take part in one of our placements, please see our new application form (linked below) or contact our Learning and Development Team.
