The mentoring period for undergraduate students starts in March each year with a launch event in London (on 26 March 2020 and this year hosted by Lambert Smith Hampton) and applications for the scheme open at the beginning of February. There are a wide range of mentors who volunteer to take part, from recent graduates to CEOs - and a lot of our younger mentors took part in the Mentoring Scheme themselves when they were students. All our mentors are alumni of Oxford Brookes (Real Estate or Planning and Property Development) and are also volunteers - they give their time to the Mentoring Scheme free of charge.
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| James Robson (left) at the launch of the Mentoring Scheme in 2019 |
1. Why did you decide to go into Real Estate?
FOR ME IT WAS A CAREER WHERE YOU COULD SEE PHYSICAL CHANGE IN LANDSCAPE IN PEOPLE IN EVOLVING MARKETS. I WAS ALWAYS EXCITED BY THE UNEXPECTED AND THE DEVELOPMENT ASPECT FOR ME WAS THE PATH I WANTED TO GO DOWN. AN INTERESTING AND RELEVANT EXAMPLE WOULD BE THE TULIP BUILDING WHICH RECENTLY WAS GRANTED PLANNING. THAT'S ABOUT CREATING A BRAND, A DESTINATION AND REAL ESTATE IS FACILITATING THAT.
2. What did you enjoy most about your time at Oxford Brookes?
FUZZY DUCKS! IT'S HARD TO SAY IT WAS THE BEST COURSE AT BROOKES AS I ONLY DID ONE, BUT IT WAS A COURSE WHERE ALMOST ALL THE MODULES ARE COMPULSORY. NOT ONE OF THESE COURSES WHERE YOU COULD LEAVE WITH SOMEONE ELSE WITH THE SAME DEGREE AND NEVER MEET THEM. IT WAS GENUINELY 3 YEARS WITH A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ALL INTERESTED IN SIMILAR THINGS AND KEPT CLOSE TOGETHER. THE TRIPS WERE ALWAYS GOOD AND THE ACTUAL LECTURERS WERE VERY GOOD AT HARVESTING MORALE AND GETTING INVOLVED WITH THE STUDENTS. ALWAYS LOOK BACK AND ADMIRE HOW IT WAS ORGANISED.
3. What have you been doing work-wise since you graduated?
I SPENT 10 YEARS WORKING FOR A DEVELOPER WHERE I WAS INVOLVED IN LAND BUYING TO DELIVERY OF RESIDENTIAL LED MIXED USE REGENERATION. I OVERSAW A PORTFOLIO OF 8 SCHEMES ACROSS VARIOUS SECTORS INCLUDING STUDENT, PRS, RETAIL, OFFICE. I WAS THEN OFFERED A ROLE AT L&G IN THE MOST ACTIVE MARKET OF BUILD TO RENT WHERE I HAVE BEEN FOR THE LAST 2 YEARS.
4. What do you enjoy most about your job?
BEING AT THE HEAD OF THE NEWEST AND MOST EXCITING SECTOR IN REAL ESTATE AND HAVING THE END USER MINDSET FOR A 40 YEAR PURCHASE.
5. Why did you decide to take part in the Mentoring Scheme?
I NEVER HAD THE OPPORTUNITY AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EXCITING TO TAKE ADVICE FROM SOMEONE IN THE SECTOR WHO CAN GUIDE AND HELP WITH ONE OF THE MOST CAREER DEFINING MOMENTS OF SOMEONE'S EARLY LIFE.
6. What kind of support do you offer the students that you mentor?
I OFFERED UNENCUMBERED ACCESS TO MY ENTIRE NETWORK. IN PROPERTY PEOPLE ARE MORE LIKELY TO HELP THAN NOT HELP! WE ARE A FRIENDLY INDUSTRY. IT WAS OFFERING TO HELP WITH WORK TOPICS AND COURSEWORK. APPLICATIONS AND CV AND INTERVIEW QUESTIONS ETC. IT WAS ABOUT A FREE TEST AND INSIGHT INTO HOW THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE SEES THINGS.
7. How do you feel your experience as a Mentor has benefited you?
I ALWAYS SAY I PROBABLY WON'T KNOW THE ANSWER IMMEDIATELY BUT I WILL KNOW SOMEONE WHO DOES. IF I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER THEN I WILL FIND OUT SOMETHING KNEW AND LEARN FROM THE EXPERIENCE MYSELF. THE WAY THE WORLD IS SEEN BY SOMEONE 10 YEARS YOUNGER CAN ALWAYS BE EXCITING AND OFFER NEW I SIGHT. AT THE END OF THE DAY. THESE STUDENTS ARE THE FUTURE!
For more interviews with mentors and students, take a look here:
The OBU/OBREMS Mentoring Scheme
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