Working in property: it’s not always about bricks and mortar
The property industry attracts people from all walks of life and our graduate scheme is no different. At Countryside, our work encompasses marketing, finance, and project management in addition to the more traditional roles associated to housebuilding and construction. It means we truly value the experiences and skills our future leaders bring and transfer when they join us.
Raffles, who is based in the West London & Thames Valley office, studied geography and statistics at university and these subjects were a perfect fit for a career in housebuilding and construction. It might not seem obvious at first but his degree has helped him understand the technical aspects of using and building on land, and how cities can adapt to different climates whilst his statistics background, especially when exploring the world of coding, has meant he is better equipped to spot trends and patterns. Raffles recently worked on a project at our South Oxhey Central development in Hertfordshire: “It was really interesting to look into the needs of the community here and find that two-bedroom homes were more in demand than one-bedroom properties; it’s this kind of analysis that’s helped us better tailor homes for the communities we serve.”
Debbie, who studied architecture and is currently based in our Warrington office, has a closer connection to the world of property but feels her knowledge in the world of design has also armed her with the right skills for a graduate placement of this kind. “At university, we were constantly presented with buildings and always looked to critique them and understand the strengths and weaknesses. Modular housing was also a key part of my course and really inspired me to dig even deeper. As a design-led developer, Countryside’s foray into modern methods of construction really caught my attention. I love the fact that I can utilise what I have learned about modular construction and design, to my work here at Countryside and love the fact that the work is integrated into the mixed-tenure developer model. It really proves the model is resilient and adaptable.”
Whether you have worked in design or hospitality or studied coding and geography, a career in housebuilding and mixed-tenure development could still be a possibility. For us, it is about the way in which you apply your skill set and life experiences, enriching our teams and delivering on our mission to create places people love. Applications are now open for our 2022 graduate scheme, with our intake starting in October 2022. Find out more here.
