Pathways to Property: A decade of inspiring generational change

Pathways to Property – the not-for-profit initiative led by the Reading Real Estate Foundation at Henley Business School, University of Reading and supported by real estate firms, charitable trusts and individuals to increase diversity, social mobility and inclusion within the sector – turns 10 this year. Over that period, it has engaged more than 21,000 students, including welcoming more than 800 on its four-day fully funded residential summer school – open to year 12 students from state-funded schools and colleges in the UK – for which the initiative is perhaps best known.  In July, the summer school will return in person after going virtual during the Covid-19 pandemic, something which the Pathways chair Paddy Allen, head of operational capital markets at Colliers, is looking forward to: “It’s the energy in the room – it’s infectious. The leaders who sit in the room with us say ‘if we could just bottle that’: how articulate they are, how energetic they are and how much enthusiasm there is, I think we would go a long way as an industry.” Initial building blocks In the decade since Pathways started, it has developed a broad offering, including work experience placements, mentoring, financial support and an open online course. The summer school, which first ran in 2013, has also evolved considerably. In the early days, the focus was on the academic side of real estate (APC and technical surveying, for example), but it has now evolved to cover soft skills – helping students to build their confidence, understanding how to present themselves, how to apply for jobs – and to provide an awareness of the wealth of different careers that exist within the industry, to suit a range of skillsets.  “We need to focus on driving awareness of real estate as an industry and as an option for young people and turning it from being this well-kept secret among people who work in it to being something which is much more outwardly focused”, Allen says. On a practical level, that has meant incorporating a careers fair, doing presentations and, crucially, getting participants to meet as many people “they can engage and resonate with” as possible to start building relationships. Promoting role models is, Allen says, one of the areas on which he is most focused. As an industry, he believes that there aren’t enough role models that speak to a more diverse group of young people. The medium to long-term outlook Having a broad vision is key for Allen (pictured below), who took on the role of chair two years ago from Alan Froggatt, former European chief executive of CBRE. Pathways’ aims are long term, with it taking, he estimates, around 20-30 years to effect change at senior levels.  “If we track the journey of a 16-year-old who comes on our summer school and they follow a linear path into the real estate industry, they will be knocking on senior management in 20-25 years – in their early forties. That is really when they start to influence. Proper change from the top. We need to be nurturing and supporting that talent between now and then, and hopefully they can then take over the baton.” To help achieve that, the next decade is also about helping to influence and support the industry in putting together different objectives to enable companies to create positive change.  “That, for me, is the next stage: more businesses living their values, doing the doing, and seeing real change come through. That will be when we know we are doing a successful job.” Building a supportive organisation that creates a safe space for people to come and discuss how they can increase levels of inclusion in their organisation and reach out to underrepresented communities, without fear of saying the wrong thing, underpins this. “One of the big barriers around increasing diversity, inclusion, representation, equity – all the different words within the sector – is that people are afraid to have the conversation sometimes because they are worried that they might use the wrong language. They don’t want to be seen to not really empathise or know. But that is absolutely fine. We all need to start somewhere.” [caption id="attachment_1067777" align="aligncenter" width="847"] Image © Colliers International[/caption] Inspiring role models Creating that safe space to effect generational change needs to be supported by practical industry endeavours to recruit and retain talent.  As Allen notes: “We have a good funnel of bringing the students in” – enabling people to study real estate and to apply to access the funding towards it either from Henley Business School (for those who choose to study there) or from organisations such as the Worshipful Company of Chartered Surveyors, which, in partnership with Pathways, invites applications for bursaries to study property-related courses, up to £30,000 over three years at any university. The next step, he believes, is ensuring that people can flourish in the industry. That those people who engage in the Pathways programme in their late teens or early twenties are supported up to C-suite level. Allen flags the still “poor” levels of diversity at C-suite and worries that, despite overall company levels of diversity and inclusion improving, representation at management levels remains low, indicating that those from underrepresented backgrounds are not being supported through the next stages of their career. This, he believes, goes back to role models. “One of the biggest risks is that we do all this work, but the young people coming through still don’t see anyone in those businesses that looks like them, sounds like them, talks like them, that they can resonate with. So they hit this ceiling, essentially because they sit there and go, ‘well, how do I get ahead?’ And they have to change the way they are and their values to be included in that space.”  Invariably, that is something that Allen believes needs to be worked on as an industry to ensure representation at all levels. While the pandemic has created negatives such as the loss of face-to-face contact with students, it has also, he believes, created a fertile environment for change. He has seen a lot more businesses and people within them looking at what is important to them and exploring what they’re trying to achieve and their core values. He cites the murder of George Floyd in the early stages of the pandemic as having raised awareness of social injustice and unfairness that exists in society and in galvanising people to “do something better next time”. He believes more of those in the sector “want to be a part of what we are doing. And that, for me, has been fantastic because we have been able to have a conversation with so many more people”.  With the conditions ripe for change, an industry ready to support the conversation and a talent pool poised to take on the baton, Allen and the Pathways initiative look set to continue to evolve and inspire generational change over not just the coming decade, but those beyond. The Pathways to Property 2022 summer school runs from 25-28 July at the Henley Business School, University of Reading.  Pathways to Property alumni The Pathways summer school, first held in 2013, has hosted more than 800 students, with many going on to work in the sector. Here, three of them share their thoughts on that initial insight into the real estate industry and their career journeys since.  Haroon Bouazza, graduate surveyor, Savills How did you find the summer school? It helped me to understand the property world, but also gave me a teaser into university life. It introduced me to like-minded people and showed me that the industry does not have to be exclusive and that anyone who is committed to learning is able to succeed. It also taught me practical skills such as presenting, using real-life examples and going on site visits.  Did it influence your decision to pursue a career in the sector?  If I hadn’t attended the summer school, I doubt I would have studied real estate, which means I wouldn’t be where I am now. It is not a field that a Moroccan boy from east London “falls” into.  Once you’d taken the decision, what were your next steps?  I knew I had to pursue work experience. I found a property management company and applied, ending up with two weeks of work experience. Pathways also offered work experience to students, which I did and really enjoyed. After these experiences, I applied to the University of Reading to study real estate. I knew the competition to get a graduate role was fierce, so I gained a summer internship at Chancerygate, which developed my skills further.  When it came to my final year at university, I had to choose a major, so I decided on planning and development, which my work experience had set me up perfectly for.  How have you found working in the sector?  Since working at Savills on the graduate scheme I have learnt so much. Any new working environment can take a bit of getting used to, but this has made me grow as a real estate professional and as a person. There is a lot to adapt to, but nothing that hard work and being outgoing won’t fix.  Advice for anyone thinking of exploring a career in the sector First and foremost, you should have a passion for it and not just do it for financial gain.  Real estate is an umbrella term for a plethora of careers. This is a benefit and a negative. On one hand, you have an abundance of choice, and you can adopt a trial-and-error approach until you find the right career. On the other, this level of choice can be overwhelming and stressful. If you feel like you have to change yourself to fit into a career, then it is not for you. Instead, choose the path that fits your characteristics.  Eleanor Prince MRICS, senior surveyor in business rates, Avison Young How did you find the summer school? I really enjoyed it. It provided a great insight into the degree and wider industry. I didn’t have any prior experience of university, so staying in halls was really interesting and I met other students who were also considering a career in property.  Did it influence your decision to pursue a career in the sector?  I attended the summer school when I was thinking about potential degree courses and universities. I didn’t have a clear idea about the degree I wanted to do and was considering a degree in geography. Attending site visits, meeting industry professionals, going to lectures and participating in group projects demonstrated how varied the industry is. Without the summer school, I wouldn’t have been aware of the opportunities and probably would not have explored it as a career. Once you had taken the decision, what were your next steps?  I completed the real estate degree at the University of Reading and joined Avison Young (then GVA) on the graduate programme. During the degree, we had weekly talks with representatives from a number of property companies/consultancies. This furthered my understanding of a career in property and the graduate programmes available. I also arranged work experience during my degree, which provided industry insights.  How have you found working in the sector?  I enjoy it and find the work diverse and interesting. The industry is interactive and there have been lots of opportunities to meet a diverse range of clients, other professionals and visit properties and sites.  One of the main challenges has been working through the lockdowns, which meant that we weren’t able to visit properties or meet clients face-to-face. However, the industry adapted and we are now back to face-to-face client meetings, which I am enjoying. Advice for anyone thinking of exploring a career in the sector I would recommend it. The work is varied and interesting and there are opportunities in a variety of sectors, catering for the full range of personalities and skillsets.  There is also the opportunity to specialise in particular sectors and markets or have a more general background. I also really enjoy the opportunities to interact with clients and other professionals and colleagues coupled with developing negotiation skills.  Bradley Walker MRICS, surveyor, Key Land Capital How much knowledge did you have about the real estate sector prior to attending the Pathways summer school?  Very little. I was aware that everyone needed a property to live in and that people worked in estate agency, but I never thought to look beyond housing. I was unaware of the complexity and extent of the industry and I did not realise there were so many career types. Did it influence your decision to pursue a career in the sector? The summer school opened my eyes to the world of property, making me notice and reflect on the built environment and the variety of jobs available. Property turned from this almost unnoticeable thing that I took for granted, to something that was an important part of the world’s economy and environment. I became intrigued by offices, shops and houses, and I started to reflect on the different professionals who had contributed. It led to my investigations into a career in real estate.  Once you had taken the decision, what were your next steps?  I completed my A-levels, then went to university to study real estate. Once at university my priority was to get as much work experience as possible, which I obtained on two internship placements with property advisory firms in London and Birmingham.  After graduating, the next focus was to get a role within the industry and pass my APC to become a qualified chartered surveyor. I was fortunate to be offered a place on the British Land graduate scheme and spent three years there, during which time I passed my APC.  How have you found working in the sector? It is exciting, fun and challenging. I consider myself very lucky to be working in an industry of forward-thinking professionals who want to make a positive impact on the world.  Advice for anyone thinking of exploring a career in the sector Be inquisitive and approach things with an open mind. Learn from people with more experience than you by asking questions. Use the internet to your advantage and take time out to do some research as an investment in your future. Try and get some shadowing experience with a reputable company and see if it is something you could see yourself doing. To send feedback, e-mail newsdesk@eg.co.uk or tweet @EGPropertyNews Main image © Shutterstock