My first rotation is to Madrid’s Capital Market team, and then I will move to Paris for another six months working in the Agency & Corporate Solutions team.
My experience to-date at Colliers has been that the culture enables you to use your own initiative, while being supported by experienced colleagues. In the Valuations team I am going on property inspections, gathering comparable evidence on recent transactions, writing reports, and conducting the valuations of the properties under the guidance of the wider team.
I would recommend to anyone with an interest in real estate to apply to this EMEA Graduate Programme. Apart from getting the chance to work and live in two other countries, and the life experience that gives you, Colliers itself is a very welcoming and collaborative environment. Upon joining Colliers, I really felt invested-in by the comprehensive induction. The inductions were very well organised, and it was a great way to both get to know the organisation, as well as the other graduates.
I have also been provided with an APC counsellor who is here to support me on my journey to qualification. Colliers puts continuous effort into its EMEA Graduate Programmes and stands by their value to develop industry leaders.
I am excited to be part of this EMEA Graduate Programme and feel confident that it will help me to achieve a successful outcome to my APC qualification.
Benefits of international rotations
With a culture which encourages entrepreneurship and initiative, we know that you will always want to improve your knowledge, skills, and professional competence. That’s why at Colliers we are committed to the life-long learning of our people. Because of this, our structured training programme provides you with an array of training and development opportunities.
EMEA Graduate Programme Application process
We aim to make the EMEA Graduate programme application process as simple and easy as possible, and welcome applications from graduates from across EMEA, from any discipline. Our 2023 application window opens on 06 February, so use the infographic below to get familiar with the process before you submit.
I am currently working in Stuttgart but will soon be switching offices within Germany, joining the Office Letting and Research team in Munich. I will then move to Warsaw, where I will complete my first international assignment. Then in March 2023, I will be moving to London, joining the Valuations team. The programme provides a unique opportunity for working abroad, while also offering me the chance to work with experts in their field.
I work alongside experienced managers on a variety of projects, whilst also undergoing structured training to qualify as a Charted Surveyor through RICS. I have already gained a great deal of experience at a professional and personal level working on projects across a range of asset classes and business lines. One highlight I regularly encounter is being able to see the impact of my work. I have been involved in preparing market analyses, participating in property inspections, drafting BOVs (broker opinion of values) and taking part in client meetings and pitches. Throughout all of this, I receive fantastic mentoring and support from my colleagues.
If you value an entrepreneurial spirit, are curious, like to get involved and take the initiative, I can only recommend applying.
Through the programme, you have access to a fantastic network both inside and outside Colliers. There are many opportunities to connect with colleagues from other offices and countries through joint projects and events.
I feel incredibly well mentored and supported, not only by my colleagues but also by the EMEA talent acquisition team, my local HR manager and RICS. I look forward to everything that awaits me along the way, and I am confident that Colliers is the right place to develop a fantastic career in real estate.
Getting women into commercial real-estate
Colliers has a commitment to helping women enter the world of commercial-real estate that we take seriously. Across the EMEA region around 15% of qualified surveyors are women. Our grad program has always welcomed applications from talented individuals and aims to encourage women to make the most of the training and other opportunities the scheme provides.
I am currently in the Valuations & Advisory team. Each day depends on the pipeline, but to-date I have been involved in all aspects of investment properties – including preparing detailed market analysis and recommendation for clients as they approcah strategic investment decisions. I supplement the day to day with a focus on my personal development within the real estate field, through courses certified by RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveryors).
I have noticed a lot of different trends within the real estate industry - even within different types of asset classes, investment strategies and investor types. Lately I am noticing one trend, which is valid across all the above-mentioned areas and that is ESG. The focus on ESG has been gaining momentum lately, not only by companies, but by all stakeholders involved. Specifically the “E”, the environmental aspect, is gaining increased media and governmental attention lately. I am fully supportive of ESG and a believer that the real estate industry has a responsibility to do what is considered right according to the environment, society and its clients. I was delighted to see Colliers has launched its own commitments to ESG called, ‘Elevate the Built Environment’ and is already advising clients on the impending legislation in its report, ESG, at a tipping point.
I am happy to be a part of the EMEA Graduate Programme, and can only recommend aspiring real estate professionals to apply. If you are highly ambitious and curious person, driven by personal and professional development and possess an entrepreneurial spirit, the programme will be a good fit for you. As a new recruit at Colliers, you can expect a steep learning curve, a lot responsibility and variety across your cases and tasks. I see Colliers as a company where career development is not limited – there are endless possibilities for progressing your career.
Bridging the surveying skills gap
The skills gap describes a mismatch between the skills needed by employers to fill vacancies in their organisations and the pool of available people with those skills available to recruit. Whereas demand outstrips supply for low to medium skilled jobs, many employers are finding it difficult to recruit for high skilled roles throughout the UK and Europe. The field of commercial real-estate surveying is not immune in any way from these general trends.
I am currently working in Stuttgart but will soon be switching offices within Germany, joining the Office Letting and Research team in Munich. I will then move to Warsaw, where I will complete my first international assignment. Then in March 2023, I will be moving to London, joining the Valuations team. The programme provides a unique opportunity for working abroad, while also offering me the chance to work with experts in their field.
I work alongside experienced managers on a variety of projects, whilst also undergoing structured training to qualify as a Charted Surveyor through RICS. I have already gained a great deal of experience at a professional and personal level working on projects across a range of asset classes and business lines. One highlight I regularly encounter is being able to see the impact of my work. I have been involved in preparing market analyses, participating in property inspections, drafting BOVs (broker opinion of values) and taking part in client meetings and pitches. Throughout all of this, I receive fantastic mentoring and support from my colleagues.
If you value an entrepreneurial spirit, are curious, like to get involved and take the initiative, I can only recommend applying.
Through the programme, you have access to a fantastic network both inside and outside Colliers. There are many opportunities to connect with colleagues from other offices and countries through joint projects and events.
I feel incredibly well mentored and supported, not only by my colleagues but also by the EMEA talent acquisition team, my local HR manager and RICS. I look forward to everything that awaits me along the way, and I am confident that Colliers is the right place to develop a fantastic career in real estate.
