International law firm Trowers & Hamlins has launched its Routes to Real Estate programme, an initiative that seeks to address the various barriers into employment in the real estate sector.
The real estate sector has long struggled to attract and retain a diverse work force. Initiatives such as Pathways to Property led by Reading Real Estate Foundation (RREF) at the University of Reading and the BPF's Redefining Real Estate are just some of those setting out to change the make-up of the industry and how it is perceived.
The Trowers initiative started with a panel session on social mobility, where an esteemed panel of industry experts discussed how the sector could open up and attract a broader range of talent. The panel consisted of Trowers & Hamlins' Head of Real Estate Sara Bailey, Kelly Canterford, Diversity and Inclusion Programme Manager at Changing the Face of Property, Phil Clark, Head of Property Investment at Kames Capital, Jacqueline Esimaje-Heath, and Regional Development Director at L&Q.
Head of Real Estate at Trowers & Hamlins, Sara Bailey said:
"The Routes to Real Estate initiative formalises something that we're passionate about here at Trowers. Diversity is an asset for both businesses and those that work in the sector, in its capacity to foster innovation and creativity, and is integral to moving the sector forward. Having productive conversations allows us to perpetuate ideas and actions that can create meaningful and lasting change."
