Uptree Success Story: A week with Europa Capital (property)
When she was in Year 12, Queren attended an Uptree work experience day with Europa Capital , a dedicated real estate investment manager focused on the European market.
Queren impressed on the day with her enthusiasm and motivation for the property industry and subsequently was chosen for a one-week work experience programme with Europa Capital last summer.
Queren (fourth from left) at the Europa Capital property work experience day
Queren first heard about Uptree through her teachers at Chelsea Academy who encouraged her to register on the professional network. She attended several other work experience events through Uptree: UBS, IBM and Arm which helped her realise that property was ultimately where she envisioned her future career to be.
One of Europa Capital's collaborative working spaces
Here Queren shares insights for those interested in getting into a career in the lucrative property industry.
What was the work experience day like with Europa Capital?
I was very keen on learning more about the property industry and what Europa Capital do. On the day, myself and the other students took part in a property brief workshop where we had to develop a portfolio of potential clients.
We also took a tour of the offices and had all our questions answered in the Q&A session in the afternoon. I asked many questions and networked with professionals which showed my interests and I was asked to join Europa Capital for a week of work experience in the summer.
What was a typical day like on your work experience week?
During my week, I rotated around each department of the company. A normal day consisted of working closely alongside a member of the department I was shadowing. I witnessed how they work, how they arrive at their decisions and often had lunch with them to fully be immersed in the team.
I learnt more about how to put together a fund portfolio from beginning to end. Which means that I learnt about how they decide what to invest in, how to acquire the fund for the investment and how to add value to an investment.
I was able to attend a meeting with an architect on a potential project which gave me an incredible insight into the day-to-day running of the business.
It was great, I was treated well and they always tried to help me understand. This was my first work experience in a property sector and by shadowing each department it allowed be to narrow down what I enjoyed the most in the industry.
What area of property are you aiming for?
I’m interested in becoming a property developer and I’m currently doing an internship after which I plan to attend Oxford Brookes University to complete a BA in Planning and Property Development in September.
What advice do you have for students also interested in a property career?
Try to gain as much experience as you can in the industry - if you’re not sure what you’d like to do in the future, I’d suggest signing up for insight days . I would also encourage you to give some thought about achieving a RICS accredited degree to give you more credibility in the industry.
Find out what there is out there, you might be surprised at what interests you.
I would definitely recommend an internship as it’s usually longer and in more depth which really shows you what you enjoy and what you like so much. It’s not the easiest to come by so I’d recommend networking and not getting discouraged if at first you get rejected.
Uptree thanks Queren for sharing her experiences of her time with Europa Capital. We wish her all the best in completing her degree and moving successfully into the property industry.
To find out what events Europa Capital are running in your area, visit their company page or head over to their website .
By Uptree
Published on:
Mon 18 May 2020