Building Surveying graduate Hannah McMillan, 24, from Aberdeenshire, has started work in Glasgow. Lucy Sutherland, 22, from Northumberland, is dividing her time between the Edinburgh and Glasgow offices, after completing a Masters in Real Estate.
The duo are among 39 new graduates from 12 universities across the country - plus eight apprentices - joining this year’s UK intake at the global real estate services and investment management company.
Douglas McPhail, head of Colliers’ Glasgow office, said: "It is refreshing to welcome graduates in to our business here in Scotland. While it is important that we give individuals the opportunity to make a positive start on their professional journey, it is also significant that our clients and staff benefit from the enthusiasm and ability of the most talented graduates of the year.”
“Hannah McMillan, who completed her Building Surveying degree at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, has already thrown herself into work aiding senior surveyors on a variety of instructions, from roofing projects to survey work.”
“I always planned on working for one of the larger firms, because of the opportunities and training they offer, and out of those I chose Colliers because it feels a little less corporate. I was attracted to the work ethic here,” she said.
Lucy Sutherland, who studied history at Newcastle before travelling to Reading for her Masters, is now helping out in a number of different teams in the Edinburgh and Glasgow offices, as she gains experience - for example, with the Edinburgh agency team.
She said: “Everyone was really friendly, the recruitment process wasn’t intimidating, and the job offers lots of experience across different areas.”
All of the UK graduates will undertake a two-year programme, rotating between departments in order to develop an understanding of how each business line operates. They will also undertake the RICS APC training curriculum and work towards qualifying as Chartered Surveyors. Over a four-year period, the apprentices will work towards completing a BSC and during that time that they will also undertake their APC.
Tony Horrell, CEO of Colliers International UK & Ireland, added: “Every year our Emerging Talent Programme takes a diverse selection of bright and talented individuals from some of the best real estate courses in the country, in a drive to recruit A-grade professionals that we can mentor from a grass roots level. Our new recruits will all benefit from having an opportunity to build their experience across a wide range of services and specialisations that will help them gain a better understanding of the commercial real estate industry and help them to build a rewarding career in the sector.”
Victoria Haynes, Colliers Head of HR in the UK, concluded: “We had an overwhelming response from a diverse range of applicants representing a wide spread of universities this year, so we are very excited to have doubled our intake on last year. We are committed to matching our new recruits with a role that will give them the best possible start to their real estate services career. We pride ourselves on providing them with valuable, hands-on experience and the chance to learn from industry-leading professionals.”
