Placement Student Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my placement at C&W, I went on many site visits and got to attend a range of client meetings from Ikea to Standard Life. I got exposure to all the different IT programmes used by C&W and a real sense of what it's like to be a chartered surveyor.

I felt very valued by my team even though i've not come from a property back ground. They always listened to my suggestions and delegated me work that I was solely responsible for. I was even given a project to work on by one of the partners.

The management were extremely supportive. They always made sure i fully understood my task and made me feel very comfortable so i was never afraid to ask any questions. there was always someone on hand for me to ask if I had any queries, and they always checked my work if I was unsure. If i had made a mistake they explained to me fully why and this deepened my understanding of the property industry.

I was never over-run but never bored. I was out of the office a lot on site visits and meetings but i always had projects to work on when i was in the office. The management gave me ample time to finish the projects so i never felt too busy.

I was given lots of responsibility like filling out lease forms and bank details for clients which were very important that i got correct. The partner gave me a project which the whole team use today, so i had to be responsible that it was very accurate.

the first hand experience i received whilst working at C&W has been invaluable to me whilst studying my real estate masters. When I'm learning in lectures i can related my work back to the first hand experience and skills i developed on the placement which has helped me immensely. The training I received from the other members of my team has helped me understand the theory behind the practical aspects of property.

The atmosphere was great. everyone was extremely friendly starting from day one. I felt like part of the team straight away and was invited to social events with other members of the team. everyone was really happy to help me if i had any queries.

The placement was well organised as my team always brought me along to their meetings/visits. I was also given a project brief to work on during the placement which was well explained and easy to follow. the combination of out of the office work and projects whilst in the office made me feel the internship was well organised.

The firm invested massively in me as all my team members would give me advice on what to do when I apply for a graduate role. The placement increased my personal development so i feel more confident in applying for a graduate role. the advice and help that members of the firm gave me over this time have been extremely valuable to me during my masters and graduate job applications.

They do have a great graduate scheme where they help you through your APC to get chartered. The 100% pass rate of the APC at C&W demonstrate just how appealing the future employment prospects are at this company. The chance to rotate on the graduate scheme allow for a thorough understand of the property industry and allow you to see where your passion and attributes lie. You are able to do four 6 month rotations which will allow for high levels of personal and professional development.

I was the only placement student in my office but I never felt this. I was included from day one and always felt part of the team. We went out for drinks on Fridays and had a few leaving parties where i was able to meet lots of other employees from different teams at C&W.

The cost of living was cheaper than in London and not hugely expensive. I felt like the bars we went to after work were reasonably priced.

The nightlife was really lively as lots of other property consultancy were based in this area so i also managed to socialise with graduates from other companies during the evenings and after work.

There are a lot of sporting events that anyone can sign up to regardless of ability. I played in a rounders match where I met lots of other employees that I wouldn't normally meet in the office. Lots of employees got involved in the sporting activities from a range of different departments.