Anyone joining us will be in the company of our current early careers cohort of over 137 graduates, placement students, apprentices and trainees who have already started a rewarding career in property consultancy. Many of our graduates first came to us as placement students or for work experience and were able to gain exposure to many different areas of the business.
Our graduate programme supports recent graduates as they work towards professional qualifications and is run by our graduate team. The programme enables every graduate to achieve their full potential and go on to develop their careers through the firm. It is open to applicants from all universities.
A highlight of our graduate programme is that it also supports full mock Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) interviews and paperwork reviews to ensure our APC candidates can pass the exam when they sit it for real. Our APC pass rate over the last 3 sessions is 100%. Our graduate planners also benefit from dedicated support and the pass rate for the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) chartered membership was also 100%.
The APC is an exam that graduates must pass to become chartered with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), in the case of surveyors or with the RTPI for planners. The APC ensures that candidates are competent in their field of work and that they meet the high standards of professionalism required to become a chartered surveyor or planner. These are a mix of technical and professional practice, interpersonal, business and management skills.
Our Early Careers Talent Advisor, Brogan Fodczuk, said: “Each year, we are amazed by the talent of the people who join us and their driven approach to their work and continued professional development. As one of our new team members, they will be fully supported throughout their training and professional qualifications, with a dedicated supervisor and counsellor. If they are following the surveying route, they will also have access to an APC Doctor who will meet with them throughout their qualification period.”
For placement students, the programme offers an opportunity to work as part of a team, dealing with real clients and gaining valuable experience that will set them up for a successful career, following the completion of their degree course. Placement students are invited to attend the graduate training days and get early APC support. Students are given responsibilities, and where appropriate, ownership of a project giving them the best opportunity to develop their professional and interpersonal skills.
Other benefits of the scheme:
- Networking opportunities with fellow graduates to develop knowledge.
- Career-enhancing events such as our firmwide professional development Link & Learn (CPD) and graduate days.
- Mock interviews with our RICS and RTPI-trained assessors
- Rotation system between different teams within the business to widen experience and knowledge.
- Regular contact with the APC team who advise and guide graduates at the start of their career.
- Continual support to ensure the best possible foundation for their career.
Kate has recently been placed in our utilities and infrastructure team after joining us on our graduate scheme. She said: "I studied wildlife conservation at Nottingham Trent University so joined from a non-cognate degree route. I attended an early career fair at university and at the time knew little about Fisher German, I wasn't familiar with the roles the different surveyors in the firm carried out when I first started so the graduate programme will help to educate me on the diverse range of roles within the business. I love that I have had projects to manage right from the start, which is helping me build my knowledge of the business”.
Rachel, who also joined us this year, is originally from a livestock farming background and had always had an interest in agriculture so it seemed like the natural path to follow. "I studied at Harper Adams and graduated in Agriculture with Farm Business Management. I completed a summer placement with the rural team last year after speaking to someone I knew who had also done her 1-year placement at Fisher German. I was offered a graduate role at the end of my summer placement and have been able to pick up some of the things I was working on during the summer which has been great”.
Amelia, who graduated with a Rural Enterprise and Land Management degree, found out about the graduate training programme in her first year at Harper Adams. “I completed a placement year last year and secured a graduate position straight after. I knew that Fisher German had a good reputation in the industry for their professional work and for providing their graduates with great support whilst they worked towards their professional qualifications, so it made sense to apply.”
She added “Since joining I have learnt so much – I have worked towards generating a successful grazing programme surrounding a bypass scheme, been involved in a tidal barrier flood defence scheme which will help protect a town with a population of over 8,500 people and have worked on and submitted compensation claims against an acquiring authority.
Initially, I was open to most areas of the business, but I thought I would be interested in working in the rural team as I love the outdoors, I ended up in infrastructure during my placement year and I enjoyed it so much more than I thought I would. I now work in the Compulsory Purchase and Compensation team which sits within valuation and professional practice”.
Amelia thought the application process was very easy, She said: “I found sending a CV and cover letter so much easier than completing online tests and challenges like many other firms ask you to do. Anyone thinking of applying should because this is a great place to work with so many different roles available. The graduate programme is excellent, and I am confident, with the support I will receive, I can easily achieve my goals of becoming a RICS chartered surveyor."
Olivia was a placement student in our utilities and infrastructure team. She joined us in 2021 and then accepted an offer to return after graduating. She said: “I enjoyed my time as a placement student, and I think it is fair to say I learned more than I could have ever imagined. The application process was quick and easy and the experience from the application to the interview and the offer stage was seamless. From day one, you are given real work to complete and when you are competent enough, you are given project ownership. This level of responsibility means we are well-prepared for our future careers.”
Applications will run from Monday 4 September to Friday 17 November. Click here for more information.
