Platform searches out second cohort for Trainee Board Programme

Above: The first trainee board members with CEO Elizabeth Froude.
 

Following on from the roaring success of our first trainee board training programme, Platform Housing Group is looking to recruit its second cohort of eager young professionals looking for board level experience – click here to apply.

We’re holding a Live Q&A event with our current Trainee Board Members and other Platform colleagues on Tuesday 18th April at 12:30pm. To sign up for this event please email recruitment@platformhg.com.

Platform is currently advertising 5 new vacancies within its pioneering programme that not only offers hands on experience but mentoring and personalised training too.

Platform launched its very first Trainee Board Programme two years ago and recruited four young, driven, and passionate people: Neelam Heera, Kaeden Bunting, Remi Turton and Edd Hall. Having now completed their initial 2 years we heard some of their feedback about their experiences.

Trainee Board member Kaeden, and social housing tenant told us about the opportunities that have been made available to him and how Platform supported his personal and professional growth,
“Being on the trainee board and being a social housing tenant, I’ve had a unique and exciting opportunity to understand how a social landlord operates and improve my knowledge about its inner workings. One thing for me that stands out from my experience is that Platform created a fantastic learning environment right from the outset. All trainee board members were provided with training and tailored personal development plans to develop us professionally for our future careers. For instance, I gained crucial chairing skills and undertook CIH training too”

Adding to this, fellow trainee board member Edd stated “Platform has given me the time to gradually learn how a board conduct’s its business and enabled me to ask questions that others may not necessarily be thinking. This has really helped me understand how different areas of the business work, from treasury management to compliance.”

Neelam added “Platform and the trainee board programme have given me the breathing space to do the actual learning. So now I can put that into practice and apply my new knowledge to my charity work”
 

Elizabeth Froude, CEO of Platform Housing Group explained  why the programme is so important and the reasoning behind why the organisation started the trainee board, “After struggling to recruit diversity onto our Board, we decided to recruit diversity and then give the individuals the training that brought them the Board skills they’d need. Each Trainee has a buddy, a Board member who mentors them throughout the programme and we rotate the trainees around all of our Board Committees meaning that they get to see the varied technical areas of the business, giving them two years of experience, they can put on their CV’s.”

She continued, “The benefit to us as a business means that we can offer them a permanent place on some of our subcommittees to give them some depth. It’s great to see a passion and desire and we’re pleased to be able to help shape them for the future no matter who they work for; recruit the people and not the destination of where you want them to go”.

For more information or to apply for a vacancy please click here.