This year we’ve partnered with 10,000 Interns to offer 6-week summer internships to four ambitious students looking to gain experience in the property and real estate sector.
10,000 Interns is an incredible foundation that champions underrepresented talent and promotes equity of opportunity. Their programmes are designed to connect talented people to life-changing opportunities across the UK, giving them valuable work experience to guide their future career decisions.
Our interns joined us in July for 6 weeks and spent time working across departments in the business, from operations to marketing, and investment to property services.
To hear more about their experience at Argyll, we sat down with Ayo and asked him some questions…
What made you apply for an internship in property and real estate?
‘I’m studying architecture at Kent University and I was keen to understand what working in property would be like. I saw Argyll’s website and was impressed by how many locations you have and the services you provide your customers. I thought it would be interesting to learn more.
I’m very interested in design, and I saw that you worked with Grand Designs ‘House of the Year’ presenter Damion Burrows on your recent refurbishment project. The opportunity to see his work first-hand and possibly get to meet him was very appealing.’
Tell us what you’ve been doing over the last 4 weeks.
‘I’ve split my time across different departments. While working with the operations team I’ve seen what goes into the day-to-day management of a building. I have opened reception, stocked the kitchens with drinks and snacks, set up meeting rooms, organised catering and teas and coffees, and delivered post. I enjoyed delivering post at Cornhill because I got to know the clients and I enjoyed interacting with them.
I also helped two teams set up afternoon tea for their clients during Wimbledon. That was a fun experience! It was interesting to see the lengths the teams go to to cater to their client’s needs.
I also shadowed the marketing team and got to sit in on a design meeting about their new app. It was eye-opening to see what goes on behind the scenes during the app development process.
During my time with the sales team, I sat with the business development and memberships teams where they showed me how they track leads in the CRM system and bring in new clients. Alex, one of Argyll’s New Business Managers, took me along on a client viewing to Cornhill. The client was looking for an office with a meeting room so we showed them a few different options to find something that matched their style and taste.
Suzanne, Head of Property Services, talked me through the upcoming refurbishment projects and design changes that are being made. She also set up a meeting with Architect Damion Burrows which I’m looking forward to – that was my goal for this internship so I’m thrilled that Suzanne helped make it happen.
I found my time with the investment team the most interesting. It was fascinating to learn what drives the decision-making when looking to buy a certain building. Ben, Investment Analyst, explained the thought process and strategy for acquiring a new building and how he analyses whether a building will be profitable for Argyll.’
What’s been your favourite memory from the last few weeks?
‘The best part for me so far has been touring all of Argyll’s buildings. I’ve been to Davies Street, Berkeley Square, Cornhill, Central Court, Eaton Gate, Octagon Point, Cavendish Square, and 84 Brook Street. They all have their own unique character and traditional features, but then inside they’ve been modernised to suit client’s needs. I think this is really important because clients want a comfortable working environment with nice furnishings and modern amenities.’
Has the internship been a valuable experience?
‘Yes, definitely. I set myself the goal of meeting Damion Burrows and that’s been arranged so I’m very happy. Through my time with the operations team, I learnt a lot about customer service and how to deal with customers. Argyll is a people-focused business and this experience has given me a lot of insight into how to manage customer requests to ensure they are satisfied. Building relationships with people is a valuable skill in any role so I’m grateful to have gained some experience in this.’
Do you know what you’d like to do after university?
‘After university I’d like to go straight into practice and work in architecture. Before I graduate I hope to gain some more experience in the property and construction industry, particularly in urban planning.’
Would you recommend this internship to other students?
‘Yes, any students who are interested in property management, investment, or any people-focused roles stand to gain valuable experience from this internship.’
To find out more about working at Argyll, head to our People page.
