Business and higher education collaborate on skills

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Key employers take the lead to improve vocational training in property

Oct 2009

Property firms, professional bodies and universities offering courses in surveying and planning have come together to investigate how vocational learning can best meet the needs of today's workplace.

Employers such as DTZ and Jones Lang LaSalle are part of a new forum of businesses and higher education institutions seeking to address issues such as:

• A lack of workplace skills among graduates
• A lack of work placements for students
• The recession's impact on graduate recruitment
• The recession's impact on surveying and planning
• The changing nature of surveying and planning, and new skills needs

The group was set up by Asset Skills in an effort to avoid future staff and skills shortages in these professions.

Liz Black, Property Specialist at Asset Skills, says: "There is concern that the downturn and lack of job opportunities for graduates will present a serious skills shortfall in surveying and town planning when the recession is over.

"The high turnout at this forum shows the commitment is there from everyone - employers, professional associations and training providers."

Need for more student placements

The first Asset Skills Employer/Higher Education forum aimed to open up previously unavailable channels of communication. The lack of practical workplace skills in graduates was highlighted as being of particular concern to employers. An example can be seen in areas such as report writing, a specialist skill for surveyors.

The meeting heard how these issues are hindering the initial career progress of new recruits and increasing the employer's workload.

Asset Skills believes one way of tackling this is to ensure more work placements are available for trainee surveyors and planners while they are still studying. It is crucial that employers are persuaded to the business case of offering work opportunities to students.

Support from employers  

Sarah Kelly, Graduate Recruitment Manager at DTZ, says: "We care deeply about the future of our industry and it is in all our interests to work together to ensure it continues to offer rewarding careers.

"Employers who are recruiting graduates should take into consideration the time and resources that need to be spent on each candidate in order to provide a quality and worthwhile experience.

"Offering students work placements is not only a great way for candidates to trial whether the industry or sector is right for them, but it also allows both candidates and employers a trial employment period for future graduate roles."

Pamela Duke, Training and Graduate Recruitment Manager at Jones Lang LaSalle, says: "We are taking a variety of steps to broaden our reach and raise the profile of the real estate profession among the student population.

"We believe that increasing awareness before students decide on A level subjects will be a real benefit to both them and us."