Developing Employability

A Case Study

The Course

• MSc. Property Appraisal & Management

– Integrating the Framework

– Real Estate Professionals operate in an ever more MULTIDISCIPLINARY and GLOBAL working environment – this is replicated in our programme.

The Employability Framework

• Development of intellectual, subject and key skills

• From dependent to independent learners

• Learning through real world examples

• Reflective practice on their use of skills and knowledge between contexts

• Reflective practice on personal performance and action planning

• Career management skills

• Learning from work – placements or simulations

• Professional skills/competences

• Enterprise – Opportunity spotting, risk aware, creativity, commercial acumen

Course structure

Modules cover the following topics

• property appraisal • property law • development • land economics and property finance • property analysis and portfolio management • planning and asset management • international project week • research methods • dissertation

A student's comment

'The course started with a team building programme in the Derbyshire countryside. This promoted a supportive atmosphere amongst the students and staff which continued through a hectic and enjoyable year. The course is highly structured and well-balanced between theory and practice. The practical projects and workshops allow development of the key skills demanded by employers.‘

–Muriel Lambert, Donaldsons, Chartered Surveyors, Leeds

Why Is This Approach So Successful?

• FULL integration of the framework – not a bolt on

• STRONG student, tutor AND administrator relationships.

• Very strong links with employers

• INTEGRATED support from course team and central services – especially careers service

• Innovative Teaching Learning and Assessment package

• Employers value our students "hitting the deck running faster".

• Course mirrors professional reality – e.g “act local -think global” – Shanghai Field Project

Skills Development

• Team Skills – Introduced in Induction

• Key Skills driven by 4 Project Weeks – each week targeting a specific skill, reflection and action planning.

• Innovation - e.g. role play with video feedback of complex negotiations.

• Self Reliance and Global "big picture" outlook – e.g. in International Project Week thrown into a highly complex project in an “alien” environment.

Towards Independent Learning

• 4 Project Weeks drive learning.

– Appraisal, Development, Asset Management culminating in the International Project in China

• Reflective professional commentary

– links to PDP and action planning

• Ownership of resources

– e.g. lap tops, base room

• Flexibility

Engage With Learning From Work

• Project weeks mirror reality

• Professionals engage in design, briefing and assessment.

• Real sites, real data

Preparing For The Professions

• The Asset Management Project Week – frantic, fun and "a way to make sure I will

never forget the realities of estate management“

• Assessment by professional outcomes – being sued = a fail.

Professional Skills - Capability

• Capability is a necessary part of specialist expertise, not separate from it.

• Capable people not only know about their specialisms, they also have the confidence to apply their knowledge and skills within varied and changing situations and to continue to develop their specialist knowledge and skills.

Stephenson J (1988)

Shanghai International Project Week

• Students act on behalf of a consortium of investors to identify a viable development strategy for the North Suchow Creek Project (NSCP)

• Work with major local companies– Cushman& Wakefield, Colliers International,

Jones Lang LaSalle, CBRE

• 5 days to prepare presentation to Clients