An apprenticeship changed my view of property – including grumpy landlords
I was 17 when I joined Landsec as an apprentice – in fact, I won’t be 18 for another five months. In the four months since I have been in the company, I’ve been able to spend time in several different teams, including tech and finance.
Currently I work in the treasury team, in my first accountancy role, managing and reconciling Landsec’s accounts. I’m one of five apprentices in this intake and we’re all on a rotation programme across the business.
Being an apprentice definitely has its perks. The opportunity to learn under some of the best and to see how such a successful company works really appeals to me. I love the challenge of joining a new team every few weeks and getting to know people while expanding my knowledge.
I was 17 when I joined Landsec as an apprentice – in fact, I won’t be 18 for another five months. In the four months since I have been in the company, I’ve been able to spend time in several different teams, including tech and finance.
Currently I work in the treasury team, in my first accountancy role, managing and reconciling Landsec’s accounts. I’m one of five apprentices in this intake and we’re all on a rotation programme across the business.
Being an apprentice definitely has its perks. The opportunity to learn under some of the best and to see how such a successful company works really appeals to me. I love the challenge of joining a new team every few weeks and getting to know people while expanding my knowledge.
The thrill I get from learning something new never fails to impress me, and the experience that I’m gaining on the job is both highly valuable to future employers and to me – it’s going to play an essential role in helping me choose a career path.
Also, getting a bit of coin is always nice! Earning a wage while learning instead of paying to learn felt like a better option for me, personally.
Collective imagination
Property is one of the industries that you always see the end output of but never – unless you work in the sector – see the intricate process or journey which leads to it.
I’ve always loved the spectrum of the built environment and how much variety there is across all the buildings in existence, but what really interests me are the buildings that haven’t been built yet; how projects might be developed in the future is still a figment of a collective imagination.
I also really like the fact that property intersects with so many different disciplines – finance, construction, law, tech, sustainability – all of which play a vital role in the seamless delivery of services and buildings. For an apprentice like me, it provides a great introduction into lots of different jobs.
Before I started working in the sector, I thought landlords would be grumpy and old. Of course, I was completely wrong. I really like the culture at Landsec – all the senior people that I have encountered have been very relaxed, assertive and compassionate; they think about the people they work with day to day, but also the wider communities that they operate in. This experience has really driven home the saying ‘never judge a book by its cover’.
Endless possibilities
Like any industry, property has challenges ahead. I’m no expert, but I think the delivery of affordable housing will become increasingly important over the next decade.
My favourite moment of my apprenticeship so far has to be the tour of Landsec’s portfolio in Victoria, SW1.
From office spaces with a view of the heart of the city to rooftop penthouses in Nova, Landsec has it all.
The views were amazing, and seeing all the buildings that have been developed by Landsec and other property developers over so many years was a really humbling moment for me; it inspired me to think of the endless possibilities that property – and the people working in the industry – can create.
