Bridging the skills gap in the housing sector

Michael Appleby, Group Chief Executive at Altair, has been featured in Inside Housing discussing the evolving skills challenges facing housing organisations. 

In the interview, Michael explains why skills shortages are no longer limited to development or technology roles, but now extend across governance, finance, HR and frontline services. He highlights the growing risk around middle‑office capability, where gaps in skills can slow compliance, increase operational pressure and surface issues at board level. 

The article also explores why recruitment alone will not solve the problem, the importance of retention and organisational culture, and how smarter operating models and better use of technology can help organisations build resilience. Michael argues that boards must treat skills capability as a strategic risk and take collective responsibility for addressing it. 

Read the full Q&A with Inside Housing here.