Time with company: 16 Months
I knew I wanted to work in property; however it was only when it came to choosing my degree that my focus aligned to residential construction. From Nottingham, I decided to stay and study at Nottingham Trent University. The course was Planning and Property Development, BSc (Hons) which is a RICS accredited degree, meaning I can progress to become a Chartered Surveyor in the future.
After graduating, I travelled to Australia where I did some work as a planning consultant, amongst other things. As soon as the Barratt Developments Graduate Scheme was advertised, I applied. After a phone interview via Skype and a long flight back for the assessment centre…the rest, as they say, is history!
To date my time here has exceeded my expectations and I look forward to getting in to work every day! I find the job challenges me but it also builds on the experience I gained at University and my previous work experience. I’ve had the opportunity to be involved in so many great projects already, and I look forward to completing my second year of the programme, in my chosen specialism; Land and gaining my full chartered status through the RICS.
As a graduate I would recommend the programme due to the amount of support, and opportunities that are offered on the programme. My Managing Director is my mentor which helps me develop personally and professionally, and is a unique feature of the scheme. Spending structured time in each department has also been brilliant. I have attended courses such as ‘Project Management’, ‘Personal Growth’ and ‘Communication and Presentation’ allowing me to learn more about myself, how to interact with others, and learning valuable skills to use. Overall, I enjoy the ability to make genuine changes for the better in my division and having a community of graduates in the same intake gives me extra support too.
In the future, I am eager to learn as much as I can about the industry in order to help shape the communities we live in. Working in the land and planning sector gives me a really great opportunity to do this, and all in all, I’m excited about my future.