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Property scheme

Scheme duration

4 years

Location

UK wide

Scheme overview

On the Property Fast Stream, you’ll be part of building a modern, sustainable public estate that benefits the whole of the UK.

About the scheme

The Government Property Professionals work on the UK’s largest and most varied estate. Across government, we occupy around 2% of the land area of the entire UK, worth half a trillion pounds, costing over £20 billion each year to run the estate alone.

The numbers are huge, and so are the opportunities. As a Property fast streamer, you’ll be at the heart of making our properties more sustainable, better suited to the needs of the UK population and adaptable to reflect the way people want to work in the future.

Property is not just about bricks and mortar; it’s about people too. We want to invest in you, to give you the broad property knowledge and the essential leadership and management skills to be a future property leader in government.

Benefits you’ll enjoy

You’ll have a unique chance to work on issues that really matter, whilst at the same time gaining a qualification and professional accreditation. It’s the best foundation for promotion and long term career progression, and will set you up for a varied and exciting career in government property.

Other benefits include the Civil Service Pension Scheme, flexible working, season ticket loans, sports and social activities, childcare vouchers and more.

Demystifying the Property scheme

What you’ll experience

As a Property fast streamer, you will work across a broad range of central government departments and agencies throughout the UK. You will be involved with developing strategy, planning and delivering projects that will build a better, more sustainable estate for delivering public services.

Not only that, but you’ll gain vast property experience working with teams of experts in a variety of different specialisms.

Here is an insight of the exciting work you can expect to be involved with during the 4-year programme:

  • experiencing how the government values, acquires, sells, and lets buildings
  • understanding how important the workplace is to delivering a modern Civil Service
  • procuring or managing contracts and services to ensure buildings are safe and fit for purpose
  • delivering huge projects ranging from building new prisons, to refurbishing historic buildings and improving the delivery of essential services
  • being part of a sustainability drive that will see the UK achieving carbon net zero emissions by 2050

In addition to this, we will also support you on your journey to accreditation with either the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) or the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM). Promotion and successful completion of the scheme will see you earn up to £55k

Supporting your learning

Training will be tailored to your current circumstances and existing qualifications. For example;

  • property degree holders will be supported in gaining membership of IWFM or RICS via the Assessment of Professional Competence (APC)
  • non-property degree holders will have the opportunity to obtain a property qualification, via a postgraduate surveying or workplace qualification, and start their journey towards professional accreditation. Which qualification/accreditation route you take will depend on departmental need/business capacity.
  • civil servants without a degree will have the opportunity to undertake a workplace qualification and work towards associate membership of IWFM

In addition, throughout the four years we will support your development and network-building through leadership training, mentorship and community events.

Mahir Choudhury discusses the switch from being an Optometrist to a Property fast streamer

Property fast streamer, Cat

Scheme placement details

As a Property fast streamer, you will undertake four one-year postings, with each posting having a specific property focus. The focus of each placement will depend on the skills you need to develop, and the competency requirements of the professional body you will pursue membership with. Whilst no two fast streamer’s journeys are the same, here is just one example of what your time on the Fast Stream could look like.

Year 1

Property lifecycle focus – you could be working in the Department for Transport actively managing their property portfolio including the sale of surplus buildings and land.

Year 2

Facilities or Workplace Management Focus – you could be in the Government Property Agency supporting their clients in workplace transformation.

Year 3

Future Skills Focus – you could be working in the Ministry of Justice focussing on property projects involving sustainability, data or the use of new technology.

Year 4

Leadership Focus – you could be in the Ministry of Defence, working on projects that develop your strategic thinking, negotiation, stakeholder management and commercial awareness.

Discover the stories

Understanding the process