Forty-seven graduates and 14 apprentices have taken the first steps of their real estate careers with Cushman & Wakefield.
The graduates will spend the next two years working towards their Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) qualifications with RICS. The apprentices have a structured five-year programme, including studying part-time for a BSc Real Estate, and will also work towards their APC in their final two years.
The new joiners, selected from around 1,000 applicants, spent their induction week being welcomed to the firm by EMEA Chief Executive John Forrester and Head of UK and Ireland, Colin Wilson, before embarking on a packed schedule of talks, workshops and activities.
This included meeting current graduates and apprentices, and mentors who will provide support and guidance across the programmes. The induction culminated in well-earned activity days split between an It’s a Knockout-style challenge at Allianz Park, home of Saracens rugby club, and Go Ape – a three-hour outdoor adventure featuring rope ladders, zip wires, trapezes and swings.
Colin Wilson, Head of UK & Ireland at Cushman & Wakefield, said: “We’re delighted to welcome another substantial intake of talented and enthusiastic new graduates and apprentices this year. The progress made by our previous intake bodes well for them, as does our APC success rate. I’m particularly pleased that we have taken on more apprentices than ever before as a well-resourced and diverse talent pipeline at every level is essential to our future success.”
Kirsty Bannerman, Early Career Development Manager at Cushman & Wakefield, said: “Our programmes ensure each individual takes on responsibility for their own work, with appropriate support, and is given the chance to make an active contribution right from the start. We look forward to helping them progress.”
Over the coming two years, commercial pathway graduates will undertake three eight-month rotations across the UK and Ireland business, which might include external secondments or a posting abroad. Those opting for Planning, Project Management, Building Surveying or Quantity Surveying will stay with the same team for the full two years but work with a variety of colleagues to get a full understanding of their chosen career path.