Property & Real Estate Careers
Looking for a career where you can shape the spaces we live and work in? A job in property and real estate is exactly where you need to be.
From towering skyscrapers to apartment complexes, the real estate and property industry is all about developing, managing, and transforming the buildings and land around us. And with the UK government investing loads into building 1.5 billion homes, there’s so much opportunity to come.
The best part is there are multiple paths to break into this exciting field. Read on to discover how.
What are the types of real estate?
The world of real estate has so much more to offer than just buying and selling properties. It's a diverse field with exciting career paths that could match your skills and interests. Here are some of the various types of real estate you could work within.
RESIDENTIAL
The residential sector focuses on the sale of homes and non-professional spaces. The usual properties you’ll find here are houses, apartments, residential developments (flats, estates, redevelopments) and more.
COMMERCIAL
This sector is all about properties used for business purposes. The most common properties you’ll find in this sector are office spaces, shopping centres, hotels, department stores, shops (retail spaces), restaurants, museums and hospitals/medical centres. (Imagine being able to sell a building like Selfridges or Harrods!)
INDUSTRIAL
The industrial sector is for properties used in production/manufacturing and can often fall under the commercial sector. These properties include the likes of factories, plants and warehouses.
MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENTS
These spaces combine residential, commercial, and sometimes even industrial elements in one property. Think of trendy urban areas where you might live above a coffee shop or co-working space. This growing sector offers exciting career opportunities in urban planning and integrated development.
LAND
This sector involves undeveloped property that can be transformed for various uses. Working with land requires understanding zoning laws, environmental regulations, and development potential. Perfect if you love both the outdoors and planning for the future.
SPECIAL PURPOSE
These properties serve specific functions, such as schools, universities, churches, government buildings, and entertainment venues. Careers here often combine real estate knowledge with specialized industry expertise.
How do I get a job in property and real estate?
There are so many companies that offer top-tier work experience opportunities, no matter where you are on your career journey.
Click to find out more about each path:
Quantity Surveying Apprenticeships
Quantity surveyors are the financial guardians of the construction sector. Fancy yourself one of those? Read on to learn more about quantity surveying apprenticeships and how you can make a living, straight out of school!
Real Estate Apprenticeships
Discover how a real estate apprenticeship works, including what GCSEs you need, which companies you could work for and how to secure a future career in property
Real Estate Degree Apprenticeships
Want to work in property? Why not do a real estate degree apprenticeship? Zero tuition fees, degree earned and 5 years of real estate work experience on your CV
Real Estate Graduate Schemes
Thinking of a career in real estate? If you’re in your final year of university, a real estate graduate scheme will set you in the right direction
Real Estate Internships
Real estate internships give you the opportunity to get work experience before you graduate. Read our guide to find out how to apply for one.
Real Estate Placements
If you’re in your first or second year of university and want to work in real estate, a property placement is exactly what you need.
Residential Lettings Work Placement Knight Frank“I hugely enjoyed my work placement with Knight Frank. It was an insightful opportunity to learn a huge amount about the residential lettings sector as well as other service lines offered by a global real estate consultancy firm whilst also developing key employability skills along the way. It was also a great way to network and meet others involved in the industry.”
Get the real on what property work experience is like. We have thousands of student-written job reviews for you to read.
READ PROPERTY JOB REVIEWSWho are the top employers in property and real estate?
Think that property work experience is all about real estate? Think again. You could find yourself working in sustainable design with Savills or as a project manager for TfL. Here are some of the top employers looking for the future of property and real estate:
Here’s what this apprentice surveyor said about their time at CBRE:
“I have developed my confidence and people skills since starting at CBRE due to the industry and work place being very sociable and people orientated. I have developed my time management, organisation, and independence.” Apprentice Surveyor, CBRE
Does real estate pay well?
The earning potential in real estate and property is seriously impressive.
Starting out with work experience, you could earn around £22,000 per year. This varies depending on your location and the type of experience you're gaining.
As an apprentice, you could earn between £18,000 and £24,000 per year, while internships and placement years typically offer £18,000 to £22,000.
The best part? These figures tend to jump significantly once you're fully qualified.
Looking to become an estate agent? You could earn over £40,000 plus commission. If quantity surveying catches your eye, you could earn over £70,000 as you gain more experience.
So it’s worth going the distance in the property world.
Is working in property a good career?
Property offers exciting and rewarding career paths with real benefits.
You could find yourself walking through construction sites across the country one day and presenting design plans for major developments the next. No two days are ever the same. The property industry is super social, too. You'll build connections through networking events, collaborative projects, and client meetings.
You’ll also pick up a ton of technical and soft skills including commercial awareness, negotiation, team management and problem solving.
The government is looking to build 1.5 million homes and is investing a ton of money (around £600 billion) to train up skilled workers by 2029 to make it all happen. This means incredible opportunities for you to join the property industry at exactly the right time.
If you want to become a real estate agent, you don’t necessarily need to have formal qualifications either besides being at least 18 years old. Remember, a lot of jobs within the property sector will require you to drive.
What types of property and real estate jobs can I do?
The industry is hugely diverse, so there is a wide range of roles for you to get stuck into. One of the best parts is that property offers something for everyone, whether you love being out and about meeting people, crunching numbers or even designing spaces that transform the way we live and work.
Here are a few examples of roles you can do within the property and real estate industry:
Housing manager
You’ll help oversee residential properties, making sure they’re well-kept and that tenants are happy. Perfect if you love problem-solving and community.
Property developer
This role combines creativity with business skills as you manage projects from start to finish, turning ideas into real buildings.
Surveyor
Assessing property conditions, values, and potential issues before big decisions are made. Your expert eye will help people avoid expensive mistakes when buying or developing.
Architect
Want to design the next Burj Khalifa? This creative role lets you shape iconic spaces.
Estate agent
Enjoy building relationships and hitting targets? As an estate agent, you’ll help people find their perfect home or investment.
Urban planner
You’ll help develop the future of towns and cities through planning everything from parks and transport links to housing developments and shopping centres.
Ready to discover where work experience in property and real estate can take you?
Find Real Estate Jobs
Sold? We have many property jobs available right now. Get started below.
Register Your Interest - Graduate Temporary Works Design Engineer 2026
- Graduate Scheme
- £29,500
- Nationwide
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