ANDREW'S PLACEMENT YEAR AT FORGE PROPERTY CONSULTANTS

Andrew Mackie, Undergraduate, is about to complete his 12 month placement at Forge Property Consultants and is returning to Harper Adams to complete the final year of his degree. Andrew has worked really hard with us during his placement and we wish him well.

Before he leaves, we asked Andrew to some of his thoughts on the value of taking time out of the academic environment.

What have you enjoyed about working at Forge Property Consultants?

One of the things that first drew me to apply for the placement at Forge was the breadth of work that was being undertaken by a smaller team. As the scope of roles in this profession are so varied, trying to gain experience in as many areas I could during my placement year really appealed to me, in order to narrow down what route I wanted to go down post-graduation. As I am now nearing the end of my placement, I am extremely pleased to look back on the range of experience Forge has managed to provide me with. Over the past year I have carried out a range of valuations on all manner of land and property, undertaken the management of a residential portfolio, carried out building surveys and planning applications, as well as been involved with the letting of both residential and commercial property.

As well as the knowledge and experience I have gained throughout my placement year, another thing I am very grateful for has been the increase in my own confidence. I now find myself having a much greater confidence in my own skills and understanding, relying on my knowledge with less second-guessing of myself, and having the sureness to provide advice to clients when appropriate.

Has anything surprised you about the world of work?

One of the most surprising aspects of my placement year has been the level of personal responsibility and self-management I have been given. Looking back, I had been somewhat under the impression that most of my experience this year would be gained by observing the work, rather than actually doing it. Once my placement began, I immediately found myself proven wrong. From the very start of my year here I have been provided with my own workload, as well the rein to manage this workload independently. I have found this extremely helpful in improving my time management as well as developing my own processes in order to complete tasks efficiently.

Another surprising aspect has been the difference between the theory I have learnt during my time at university, and the practical application of this theory in the real world. This is something I had been told by previous placement students; however I was still shocked at just how different it was. Being able to actually see and understand how to apply the taught knowledge is what makes having a placement year so important, and I definitively believe I would be worse-off going into my final year of university, should I have undertaken a degree without a structured placement.

What’s next for you after graduation?

Should everything go to plan, I am hoping to get my APC done through the commercial pathway and become chartered as soon as possible. Through my experience at Forge I have found myself becoming quite drawn to potentially exploring a career in agency and management, however, I think pigeonholing myself into one route too early could mean missing out on opportunities I haven't yet considered, and so for the time being I am rather excited to not know exactly where my qualification will take me.

I do want to reiterate just how thankful I am to everyone at Forge for their support and guidance from my very first day here, it has been an incredible experience and one I will definitely not forget!