By Sophie Eastwood, Managing Director of Holistic Group and Director of YEP Global

Anyone that’s met me will know that I am hugely passionate about the built environment. It’s an industry I’ve worked across for over two decades in my role as MD of strategic communications consultancy Holistic and research company Holistic Insight, which work with businesses in real estate. I’ve seen the industry evolve into a force for positive change – building and enhancing communities, driving sustainability and efficiency, and adding social value.

It’s also an industry full of richness and variety, in the wide range of sectors it spans, private and public, and in the number of roles available to those exploring career options – over 55, in fact. There is literally something for everyone. Yet it lacks diversity in so many other ways, which needs addressing as a matter of priority if it is to continue to thrive.

This is one of the reasons why I remain involved in YEP (Young Entrepreneurs in Property), a 6,000-strong free-membership organisation with nine chapters in the UK. I joined YEP over 20 years ago and went on to sit on the London committee before becoming chair and launching my business with the support of this amazing network. My role now is to champion this group of inspiring people. United by their entrepreneurial spirit, they represent a diverse network of professionals from across the whole built environment sector, who come together to learn, network, share knowledge and do business. They represent diversity of thought and are the future of our industry – the people who will lead businesses, innovate, effect positive change.

This year, YEP was asked by UKREiiF to present the younger generation’s view on how to attract a variety of talent into real estate. To inform our perspective, we used the expertise of Holistic Insight, my research business, to undertake a survey of our members and students, the majority between 21 and 39 years of age. We also ran a series of round table discussions across YEP’s UK network to explore solutions.

We summarised our findings at the event and shared them in a news release published by UKREiiF. Here, I provide more insight, signalling a way to bring more diversity to the built environment industry, which is only achieved if we attract people with varied backgrounds and experiences.  

According to our survey, 41% of respondents chose to study a built environment-related degree, while the rest found their way into the industry either by chance or through friends or family recommendations. Our round table discussions revealed that students often had to actively search to find alternative routes into the sector, such as apprenticeships, T Levels, BTEC diplomas or internships.

The question is how to inspire anyone to choose a career in the built environment, and the answer starts with perception and positioning. We seem to have painted a picture of the real estate industry as an old fashioned, male-dominated, rather serious place to work. But this is not reflective of how it is today.

Universities and job sites typically advertise real estate as a safe, stable, and well-paid career with opportunities for progression, and while all of this is true, it is so much more than that. It’s collegiate, collaborative and creative. The huge variety of roles in the built environment all contribute to building better communities, creating great places, combatting climate change and delivering social value. Impacting everyone’s lives, it aims to make them better, healthier and more enjoyable. Who wouldn’t want to be part of that!

It may surprise you to learn that the young people we surveyed mostly love working in real estate – they relish the opportunities, the collaboration, the scope to travel, that no day is the same and that the fruits of their labour are tangible. Perceptions before and after joining the industry differed quite significantly, however. Of those now working in the industry, only 25% thought it would be friendly, but 75% say it is; 40% thought it would be interesting, 60% say it is; and 20% thought it would be fun, 80% say it is!

We need more champions. UKREiiF is using its position, network and reach to encourage and promote inclusivity. Every year since it started, it has ensured diversity in its speaker line-up and provided complimentary tickets for students from all backgrounds. This year, it partnered with PLACED, which focuses on place education and engagement, particularly among under-represented groups, creating an environment where diverse voices and perspectives are not just recognised but welcomed.

The media has a role to play too – we need more visibility. Our research found that much greater promotion about the range of opportunities in the built environment was needed – 71% of respondents cited lack of awareness as a key issue in attracting young people to the industry. Furthermore, of the 55 roles in the industry, we mostly only credit the investor/developer, architect and contractor, but that’s only three of them. There is also no single source of the jobs available in real estate, well until now. I am delighted to say that Sam McClary and the EG team have recognised this issue by creating a careers guide for those looking to join the industry. Bravo!

As a non-profit-making organisation that relies on exceptional volunteers who run our chapters, YEP is also seeking to do what it can. We have a group of corporate partners and companies that sponsor our events or provide venues, and help spread the word about our network, which is 50/50 male female. We have also just announced a media partnership with Property Week, which will help bring more youth and diversity to their events and initiatives by giving our members the opportunity to be involved.

At the end of the day, much of the change the industry needs to see to attract and retain the very best talent will come from within. How we behave, how we work together, what we stand for, and what working in the industry means to us all matter enormously. With my Holistic and Holistic Insight hats on, perception is everything. So, having identified the need for attracting young, diverse talent and some of the repositioning that’s required at UKREiiF in 2024, we’re coming back next year. This time collaborating with other networks in the sector, to look at what we need to offer in terms of flexibility once they’ve joined the profession, to ensure they stay.

We shouldn’t be too hard on ourselves. I’ve been working in real estate for over two decades and have seen it become much more diverse and inclusive over this time. Yes, there’s more to do, but if we keep up the momentum, we can increase the diversity of the people we attract to fulfil the wide variety of roles that already exist in the built environment industry.

By Sophie Eastwood, Managing Director of Holistic Group and Director of YEP Global