Graduate Planner Review

by Savills

Best Apprenticeship Employer

Rating

9.2/10

1. Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:

I support my colleagues through helping to: write appraisals, submit planning applications, monitor applications, keep up-to-date on planning policy, conduct site visits, communicate with clients and conduct site searches.

10/10

2. Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?

I came into the apprenticeship knowing very little about planning. My knowledge has since expanded significantly and I feel confident in my knowledge on core planning principles. My communication skills have also developed since my role involves interacting with so many different people on a daily basis.

10/10

3. To what extent do you enjoy your programme?

I really enjoy my job. I get to complete a range of different tasks everyday which keeps me interested and I find the Savills culture very friendly and welcoming.

10/10

4. How well organised/structured is your programme?

I get one day a week to attend university and this continues all year round which is definitely necessary to stay on top of my university studies. I think there could be more communication to managers so that they are also aware of how the programme works and the structure.

9/10

5. How much support do you receive from your employer?

I cannot fault the support I get from Savills. Every time that I have needed support, I have been helped immediately. The Savills culture is definitely a supportive one.

10/10

6. How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?

I think LSBU has very poor communication. Several people had issues with delays to being enrolled and they were refused entry to lectures. There is also poor communication about the structure of the course, key deadlines and what support is actually available.

6/10

7. How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?

There is a lot of information that is useful for my role but there isn't always the opportunity to apply it. The Planning Law module was particularly useful in providing an overview of the process of appeals and inquiries.

9/10

8. Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)

There is quite a range of sports teams (netball, football) but I think they could be better advertised. They're all quite London-centric too. There are also national grad days which are fun to get to meet the other planners in Savills.

10/10

9a. Would you recommend Savills to a friend?

Yes

9b. Why?

I have really enjoyed my time at Savills and think it is a great building block for developing a career in planning.

10. What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Savills?

Do your research. It is important to know what is going on in the planning industry and any recent changes to legislation or policy which may affect the office that you're applying for. Be proactive and have experiences that you can draw relevant skills from.