Moya Weir is studying Housing Management at the University of Ulster Jordanstown and is currently in her 3^rd year placement with the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.

During her course she will have completed modules in management studies, housing maintenance and development, the history of housing, finance, planning and legal studies. Next year she will also take modules in housing policy and strategy.

Before choosing her degree course Moya was aware of opportunities within housing and, knowing a number of social housing tenants, was interested in working in a job where she could help people and feel that she was making a difference to the quality of life experienced by social housing tenants: "I wanted to stay close to home and was interested in studying at the University of Ulster Jordanstown. The school career advisor gave me information on the most popular courses that were available to study at Jordanstown. I read the Housing Management prospectus and felt that the careers offered in housing would be interesting and varied. I also liked the idea of working within the community and not being based in an office every day."

As part of her placement Moya is currently working as a maintenance officer in one of the Housing Executive district offices. She feels that she was lucky to be placed in the Housing Executive as it has offered her a broad experience of housing to include housing policy and has helped her understand the reality of housing versus the learning. It has also helped her understand the housing allocation points system that is in use in both the Executive and the Housing Associations. She says: "My placement has given me the opportunity to understand the role of a district office within the community. I have worked in estate management, maintenance, warden services and housing. I was very lucky to have the opportunity to cover a Housing Officer post while the regular officer was on sick leave. I found it extremely enjoyable and it was very rewarding when tenants recognised the work I had done and said thank you."

She has enjoyed her placement so much that Moya hopes to work in a district office when she finishes her degree: "I would like to get a job as a Housing Officer. With my placement experience and housing management degree I think I will be in a good position to help people gain their independence and support them in their choices. I hope to be able to make a difference to their quality of life." One day she would like to progress the manager status within a district office.

As for the future of social housing? Moya feels that the recent economic downturn has caused significant increase in house repossessions. This will cause an even greater demand for social housing over next ten years and a lot more people will depend on the Housing Executive and the Housing Associations to provide them with a home. The Housing Executive will also need to work a lot closer with private landlords to make arrangement and provisions for additional housing.

When asked what she would like to tell people about her housing degree Moya said: "The degree is extremely enjoyable and challenging. The lecturer fills you with information and the exams are very intense. If you put in the work you should be fine. I would recommend that students do a lot of research and make use of the university library including past pupils dissertation, books, journals and past papers. I also find the Department of Regional Development and the Planning Service website very useful. The course has given me so much knowledge of social housing and the housing market. We go on trips around different areas to see where social housing is placed and how it is split between communities and to give us an awareness of the equality needed in housing."