Undergraduate Land Manager Review

Barratt PLC is definitely a placement where you will only get out of it, what you put in. The company prides itself in the workforce that it has carefully chosen and nurtured throughout the past. This is obvious from the moment that you walk into any division or onto any of their developments. I was placed within the Mercia division (West Midlands), and many of the staff (Site Managers, Sales Team, in-house team) enjoy the knowledge that they are at the top of their game (some have won prestigious awards within the company and nationally). Whilst on placement, you get the chance to really tailor the opportunity to suit you. Each student partakes in a number of 'rotations', where you get the chance to understand how each member of this industry work together to produce award-winning developments. These rotations are presented as a minimum of one week, giving you a glimpse into the 'Barratt Way'. It is worth mentioning, however, that the company runs at a pace that would outrun a hare, so you need to work quickly and efficiently in order to gain the approval of your colleagues. If I was to suggest any negatives to consider whilst applying for Barratt, it would be that you need to jump in feet first, as there is little room for a student who requires extensive support from their peers. If you think that you have the confidence to throw yourself at the deep end, then this #1 graduate employer (JobCrowd) is the one for you.

The main gripe that I had about my placement was the assumption by some (and it is only a very select few) that you are 'just a student', and that you may be incapable of handling some tasks. Certain members of the office did, at times, adopt the "it will be faster and better if I do it myself" approach. This really is where the biggest requirement for a job at Barratt really comes in to play, CONFIDENCE. You have to be determined to prove these select few wrong, by picking your battles, and completing jobs which you think you would be the best at to an outstanding level. This really will gain you esteem throughout the office, an environment where you can only survive if you can be depended on. To those that may still not rely on you, you have to be the better person, and count it as their loss. This company possibly provides you with the steepest of learning curves, and within a few months, you WILL know perfectly how the business world works.

The company has been extremely sensible in the structure of the placement. Each student will essentially have three people to answer to; their departmental director, managing director, and future talent leader, Nicki. Your departmental director is sure to provide you with the best advice for your time at the company, as well as your future. My director does just this, and quite often his secretary has to cut our discussions short (after the second hour!) because we get carried away. The managing director runs the division, and so juggles many different tasks. This means that it is unlikely that you will get much exposure to them (although they would probably love nothing more than to learn from you, rather than the other way around!) The main exposure that I got to my MD is during the weekly meeting, and this really the best time to see an MD do what they do. The Future Talent team are continual support network outside of your division, and Nicki does a fantastic job of running the undergraduate program. You will attend a few workshops during your placement, which Nicki organises (the perfect chance to discuss your placement and forge relationships with other undergrads). Nicki is also always on the other end of the phone, and will listen to anything you have to say (whether it be advice on your experience at placement, help towards perfecting your CV/chances at graduate employment, or maybe confidentially listening to any issues you may have in your division). It is important to note that every placement student will have moments of feeling a bit out of their depth/unfulfilled (something that will happen on any placement, with any employer). I think where Barratt excels is it's commitment to supporting placement students, and Nicki knows that sometimes, all that is needed is a bit of a vent and a nag. In short, the single greatest thing about a placement with Barratt, are the exposure to some fantastic resources, and a support team that actually cares about you! (after all, they have already picked you from an exhaustive list of applicants, not because of educational ability, but because they think that you are perfect for the role).

I think that as an undergraduate, how busy you are really relies on how much you are willing to take on. During my placement, I have had peaks and troughs with how busy I am, mainly because often members of your team are very busy, and simply forget that they have you as a resource to help them. However, during my placement in the Land Team my days are filled with the following: - Site visits - Market research - Creating submission documents - Analysing legal documents and reports - Learning from others on 'rotations' - Investigating new sites/viability of sites - Attending planning workshops at local authorities - Critically evaluating layouts for prospective sites

For me, my department have recognised that my agenda is to learn. Because of this, I have effectively been given the opportunity to spend my placement improving my knowledge of the property sector. Whilst aiding the other Land Managers with their daily role, I have also been able to manage my own time to my own benefit. The responsibility of this derives from a great level of trust that I am able to help them when needed, but also build upon my own ideals, thus improving my level of knowledge on future projects. This has been apparent to me, as this freedom has given me the chance to really learn, and feel that in my later months, I had more of a grip on the tasks that were required of me.

I think that every aspect of this placement will put you in an enviable position to your peers back at university. I really feel that the level of growth that I have bathed in this year will make me the best final year student that I can be, and create a fantastic jumping off point when I am making the decision on graduate direction. Barratt has a fast-track principle to all undergrads. By completing your placement year with Barratt, you can propel yourself into the assessment centre for a graduate position, or apply for any role at the company and be seriously considered.

Each division has a 'Vision Team' which organise numerous team building activities. These include charity fundraisers, staff events, and support. This is definitely needed as the atmosphere in this busy environment can be a bit anonymous at times. You will surely find some very good friends at any division that you are placed in, however this is a professional environment, and feels as such.

The placement was so well organised that when my university tutor came to visit, he was genuinely impressed by it's structure. The company has very carefully devised an undergraduate programme for you to follow.

The company has invested in you from the outset, and this is inherently obvious. You are able to spend your placement really learning, which is enviable by other placement students at different companies. Some places use their placement students as a form of cheap labour...but not Barratt!

Barratt looks to employ from within the company, and the idea is that the young talent that they recruit through graduate jobs, undergraduate placements, apprenticeships, internships and otherwise will eventually be promoted through the company. Outside of Barratt, the company is so instantly recognisable as a quality employer, that you will be held in esteem to different employers.

My office held social gatherings for its employees, particularly around Christmas time. It really depends on how much you want to forge connections with your colleagues as to how involved you get in these events, and company organised activities. The future talent programme provides many opportunities for you to create fantastic relationships with other placement students within a plethora of disciplines and from many different locations/backgrounds. Your quarterly workshops provide a great time to socialise with these, and share horror/success stories.

Solihull is a very expensive area, and as such it was actually more cost effective for me to live with my parents, and face the daily commute of 1hr 30mins. The salary however is very competitive and it is possible for you to live in Solihull and work at Barratt Mercia.

Birmingham is a short train ride away, and there are fantastic links to london from the local train station.

Being within the UK's second largest conurbation makes this question self explanatory.