Mainly for Students: Taking the next step

Two years ago, EG brought together a group of first-year students from leading universities, embarking on their journeys in real estate. Now into their third year, EG catches up with them to find out how they are progressing and what their current aspirations are for a career in the industry. Ella Moore-Hemsley: Nottingham Trent University How did you find the second year of your course? My second year at university was significantly impacted by the pandemic, with lockdown restrictions and content being taught virtually, but I was able to manage my time effectively working from home and achieved a first overall. The modules of valuation, agency and economics were applied to the industry, with exciting case studies and coursework to complete. How are you feeling about your final year and graduating in 2022? I can’t believe how quickly the time has flown is my initial feeling! Having only been at university for half a term, I can feel the workload increasing already, but it’s exciting to be taking on new modules: investment and valuation; portfolio and fund management; corporate real estate; and research. I am currently carrying out my research proposal on the social ergonomics of activity-based office space, which I am enthusiastic about investigating. I feel prepared to make my first steps once graduating in 2022 and am eager to join a new team and put all that I have learnt in my degree into action. Have you decided which area of the industry you would be interested in working in? My modules this year of investment and valuation and corporate real estate have been very insightful into future careers in the industry. Though I am not committed to one specific area, I am very interested in opportunities in commercial surveying, valuations, and possibly working on the tenant side for large corporations. Has the pandemic changed your thoughts about what you want out of your career? The pandemic has enlightened everybody on work-life balance but as I start and progress in the industry, I am committed to making the time and effort to succeed. Especially when I graduate, I feel that working in an office will be valuable for enriched learning and creating connections. Over the summer of this year, I was working full-time in a residential agency and appreciated the benefits of learning first-hand in the office with the support of my colleagues. Though in the future I would love the option to consider a flexible working-from-home approach. Are you hoping to go straight into the sector and, if so, how do you intend to approach your job search? I am actively looking for graduate schemes in central London and opportunities in Dubai starting in September 2022. I understand that graduate schemes are highly competitive with lots of deadlines quickly approaching, so I have created an Excel spreadsheet to not miss out on any opportunities. I hope that my work experience over the summer of 2021, academic grades and previous work experience will reflect my commitment to a role in the industry. I had the initial thought when starting my degree that I would complete a master’s programme, but I am eager to start working towards my APC. Instead, I hope to complete a master’s in the future while in the industry. What are your hopes and expectations for your first step into the industry? My hopes and expectations for my first step into the industry are to get stuck in and apply myself to a programme and learning. It would be great to accompany and work closely with a colleague on projects to see the work play out first-hand. Jake Edwards: University of the West of England How did you find the second year of your course? The workload increased and built on knowledge of surveying, valuation, economics and law. I found it interesting to see how the layering of finance works for developments, understanding the use and importance of key performance indicators and sensitivity testing. Examining and evaluating new and existing buildings was insightful, especially with the growing industry interest in green leases and climate-robust buildings. It was a diverse studying experience, requiring an adaptable work ethic – important in industry, as client and employee demand are pushing hybrid working to the forefront of how businesses are operating. Overall, the modules were taught in line with current practices and industry changes during the pandemic – and some lovely results were achieved again! How are you feeling about your final year and graduating in 2022? I maintain my excitement from the previous article and believe there is more scope than ever to make a positive impact through real estate innovation. After a long year at home in Polzeath, it has been refreshing to get back to face-to-face studying. With a heavier focus on valuation and skills for the core APC competencies, I feel more than ready to transition into a graduate position. I look forward to going into the office – a place that I believe is still thriving. People evolve through collaboration, socialising and learning. The office incorporates all these things and is proven to be fundamental for resilience and more effective for innovation than digital home working. Post-pandemic events such as COP26 have made it clear that sustainability is mission-critical. The industry needs to learn about clients and approach their needs imaginatively, presenting exciting opportunities to work on impactful projects and create solutions to combat the climate crisis. Are you intending to go straight into industry and, if so, how do you intend to approach your job search? In my opinion, getting involved now is like buying into a stock before it takes off again – a great time to enter the industry. To understand my target real estate firms in more detail I have been talking to graduate surveyors, phoning organisations, attending networking events and webinars, reading research publications, monitoring LinkedIn and more. My game plan has been to approach the job search honestly, thinking about how I can add value to businesses, and whether the decisions make sense for my personal life too. I like the idea of securing a graduate scheme in commercial surveying for September 2022. It would mean I can recalibrate after university, skydive and kitesurf in the summer but, importantly, dedicate time to learning about the company, its people and projects, to commence in 2022 firing on all cylinders. Has the pandemic changed your thoughts on what you want out of your career? Hybrid offices and employee flexibility have opened my mind to the importance of location. Productivity and innovation are key to business success, so a location where I can keep a healthy work-life balance would ensure my best output. London would be great, and so would Bristol. With constantly evolving ideas, it is quite hard to say what I would like from work in real estate. Currently I am focused on securing a graduate role, keen to work towards the APC and acting on new ideas and interests as they spark in the process. However, I do know that I would like to work with sustainable projects, using technology to develop new high-tech, sustainable cities and work towards net zero targets and global decarbonisation. Last time we caught up you were thinking about commercial investment management as a potential pathway. Are you still intending to pursue that? Reflecting on the previous articles, it is interesting to see how much my views and interests have changed. Investment in general definitely intrigues me, and I would like to be involved with sustainable investing and private equity divisions, but I think it is a mistake to focus too specifically, too early. My plan is to join a company that offers multiple rotations on a graduate scheme. This will enable me to explore different divisions, build knowledge, develop interests and expand my network across a variety of sectors. The aim is to complete an APC as a very well-rounded member of the RICS. I know that finance requires extensive skills, but I am committed to learning the knowledge. I am currently taking courses in Argus, Excel and financial modelling. I hope to continue excelling in these areas over the next two years. What are your hopes and expectations for your first step into the industry? A few companies have impressed me, and I would like to get on to a graduate scheme. I expect the first two years to be fast-paced, with hopes of joining a company that can provide a stimulating and challenging environment. I am keen to get involved in a wide variety of live projects, dealing with tangible assets, finance, and clients holistically. Meeting fellow graduates and making connections with industry professionals is also something I look forward to – as well as wearing a suit again! Despite increased hybrid working, I know that the office is here to stay. Lots of studies show that productivity works in a remote fashion, but it is the creativity that suffers. Joining the industry, I hope to work in a flexible environment and continue to use the office to sustain innovation. With $700bn of sustainable and green debt issued in 2020, it is clear that sustainability is ramping up and has been reinforced by the pandemic, rather than threatened. Building the real estate solutions of tomorrow means acting on sustainability today, and I look forward to being a part of it. Louise Lawrence: Savills and University College of Estate Management How did you find the second year of your course? The second year of studying at the University College of Estate Management was enjoyable and I found many links between the courses I was studying and my workplace learning. The support from both colleagues and university staff was excellent and beneficial to my development. How are you feeling about the third year of your studies? At present, I am looking forward to my third year at UCEM. My current modules overlap with my day-to-day work at Savills, which will allow for both work and academic growth. I am hopeful that this year I will develop my development appraisal and valuation skills with the support of colleagues and the university. How has the pandemic shaped your studies and your work? The pandemic had little impact on my studies due to the university being based online. There was no disruption to learning or workflow. Work is a different story. For the last few months we have all been juggling working from home, which has its pros and cons. Although working from home can be done without interrupting workflow, it does not compare to the office-based learning that aids my development. I have been grateful to have that in-person contact with my colleagues once again as it is easier to ask questions and simply listen to the progress we are making within the business and how we interact with clients. Last time we spoke you were hopeful of applying more of what you have been learning at UCEM to your work at Savills. How has that worked in practice? Applying the learning at UCEM to my work at Savills has been successful, without a doubt. I have found new links in the work I undertake daily and continue to see the two overlap. This has been key in reinforcing my knowledge. How have your studies and work experience to date shaped your thoughts on your future career in the industry? I look forward to my future career in the property industry. As an industry, we are constantly developing and finding new ways to improve, whether that is in sustainability or equality. I hope this development continues as I enter the last few years of my apprenticeship. How have you found studying and working alongside one another? Studying and working simultaneously has its challenges and benefits. Sometimes it can be difficult to manage both the busy workload and weekly university work, with the key being to create a schedule to keep on top of it all. My designated study day helps tremendously with university work as it allows me to set time aside each week to focus on my studies. The endless support from colleagues creates a safe space to discuss any queries I may have and their encouragement propels my growth. Read the other articles in the series Real estate’s next generation – forging ahead in an uncertain world Real estate: The next generation