Kirsten Forsyth joined Horton Housing in 2011 as our very first apprentice. She has continued to grow and take on new responsibilities, progressing into a management position and recently becoming our Rents Team Leader. Here is her story:
My journey finding Horton Housing is a bit different. I had just turned 18 and was looking for jobs with no luck after finishing The Prince’s Trust Customer Service programme. During that time, I heard about apprenticeships — a real job where you got paid (even if it was only £2.50 an hour back then!) while learning at the same time. It sounded like the perfect gateway into the working world.
Through JHP Training, I applied for an apprentice nursery nurse role. My thinking at the time was that I was good with kids, so why not? But fate had other plans. JHP accidentally sent my CV to a Housing Association looking for a Receptionist/Admin Assistant, and they rang to ask if I’d be interested instead. When I arrived for the interview, I was so nervous I rambled my way through the tiny bit of experience I had, convinced I’d blown it. But when I got home, Jane Stableford rang to offer me the job. My response was, “Are you sure?”, followed by “Yes please!”
I like to say Horton headhunted me, they just didn’t know they were doing it at the time.
I joined the Administration Team at Head Office in July 2011 as Horton’s very first apprentice. It was my first job, and the last time I’d used a computer before joining was to submit my GCSE coursework, so stepping into an Admin Team was a whole new world and I made a fair few rookie mistakes. There was the time I emailed our then CEO, Sheila Bamford, with no subject, no greeting, no signoff — just one sentence. Or the time I accidentally transferred a very persistent sales caller straight through to the then Finance Director, David Collier. And my favourite: welcoming a visitor I thought was here for an interview and letting the panel know their candidate had arrived, only for the panel to later say, “We asked why they wanted to work for Horton, and they replied, ‘I don’t, I’m looking for the training centre.” Not my finest moment — but a great story now.
I had to learn everything from scratch, and the team’s support shaped my career more than they probably realise. I completed my Level 2 Apprenticeship and immediately asked Jane if I could do my Level 3. Head Office hasn’t managed to shake me off since.
A huge turning point came in May 2014 when I became a Rents Officer. Working alongside the Rent Officers opened my eyes to a completely different side of the organisation, and I loved the technical and analytical work involved. As Horton expanded, I was asked if I wanted to stay permanently. It was the quickest yes of my life.
In 2014, my journey came full circle when I supported and mentored the next Receptionist Admin Apprentice.
I have been with the Rents Administration team as we’ve grown, changed systems, expanded our portfolio, and trained new officers. In 2024, I was successful in securing the Rents Administration Manager Role covering MAT leave. Even after 13 years with Horton, it felt like stepping into a new world again. I found myself for the second time in my career leaning on my peers for their guidance and knowledge. Although I’m still covering maternity leave, in 2025 SLT and my Head of Service recognised that organisational changes, service growth, increasing demands on the team and my own progression meant it was the right time to develop my permanent role into Rents Team Leader.
The support I received during my apprenticeships and throughout my time here has shaped how I approach training and supporting colleagues. Everyone learns differently, and what feels “obvious” to one person might not be to someone just starting out.
An apprenticeship is the perfect gateway into a first job or a career change, as the combination of earning a qualification while gaining real-life experience is invaluable. My advice for apprentices is to be openminded, absorb every bit of knowledge your colleagues have, don’t be afraid to make mistakes, and use what you learn to shape your own career path.
An apprenticeship was the best decision 18‑year‑old me ever made.