Specialist pathways in construction
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New pathways in Urban Planning and Real Estate
Fill critical skills gaps in Urban Planning and Real Estate with our new Construction and the Built Environment Graduate Apprenticeship pathways
Scotland faces significant workforce shortages across planning, surveying, construction and property professions. Employers are struggling to recruit experienced professionals, succession challenges are increasing, and industry bodies are actively calling for expanded apprenticeship pathways.
Existing apprenticeship provision does not adequately address identified employer skill gaps in Real Estate and Planning, despite evidence of sustained workforce shortages across both areas.
To help meet these workforce challenges, Heriot-Watt University has launched two new pathways within our Construction and the Built Environment Graduate Apprenticeship programme:
- Urban Planning - Developing future professionals who will help shape Scotland's places, communities and infrastructure.
- Real Estate - Developing talent for careers in property, surveying, asset management, development and investment.
These new pathways are fully funded and offer a unique combination of academic and work-based learning, creating degree qualified employees with key skills tailored to the needs of your business.
Building better futures.
Why Heriot-Watt for Urban Planning
Partner with Heriot-Watt to develop the next generation of planners equipped to help shape sustainable communities, deliver housing and support Scotland's future growth.
- Our Urban Planning pathway helps employers address critical skills in planning across Scotland. There is a growing demand for and need for planners over the next decade to replace those retiring and to meet projected growth.
- The pathway offers and upskilling and reskilling opportunity to help develop and retain key employees eg planning technicians.
- This fully-funded pathway is an accessible, cost-effective work-based solution to develop employees who are unable to take extended time away from work to gain a relevant professional qualification.
- The pathway was developed in close discussion with the Royal Town Planning Institute and draws on Heriot-Watt's 25 years' of delivering planning education.
- The pathway aims to develop the following key skillsets:
- Spatial and development planning
- Placemaking and urban design
- Planning law, policy and the statutory system
- Sustainability and climate responsive planning
- Digital planning, data and Geographic Information System
Why Heriot-Watt for Real Estate
Partner with Heriot-Watt to develop the commercial, analytical and professional skills needed to shape Scotland's property and development sector.
- Our Real Estate pathway can be the ideal solution to talent shortages, succession planning challenges, and increasing demand for professionally qualified real estate specialists.
- The demand for real estate professionals is growing. Real estate is one of the top five employers of Architecture, Building and Planning graduates in Scotland, with related occupations projected to keep growing through 2034.
- The pathway offers employers an upskilling or reskilling development opportunity to help combat ageing workforces and emerging skills gaps.
- This fully-funded pathway is an accessible, cost-effective work-based solution to develop employees who are unable to take extended time away from work to gain a relevant professional qualification.
- The pathway builds on Heriot-Watt's 50 years of real estate education. It aims to develop the following key skillsets:
- Real estate appraisal and valuation
- Property investment and finance
- Real estate development
- Surveying and GIS
- Global property markets
Graduate Apprenticeships at-a-glance
Who can apply?
Our GA programmes are open to both new and existing employees - making them ideal for recruitment AND upskilling.
How much does it cost?
Our programmes are fully-funded for eligible candidates, meaning there are no additional costs for employers or the students.
How long does it take?
Students will typically study for an Honours degree over a four year period. (Note: advanced entry is possible in some cases).
How is it delivered?
GAs offer a unique combination of academic and work-based learning. Broadly speaking, the split is 20% at university and 80% at work.
Our credentials
The launch of new pathways in Urban Planning and Real Estate, complements our existing pathways in Quantity Surveying and Construction Project Management – emphasising our reputation as one the UK’s leading universities for construction.
- We’re ranked No.1 in Scotland for Building (source: The Times/Sunday Times Good University Guide 2027)
- We're ranked 5th in the UK for Town and Country Planning (source: The Times/Sunday Times Good University Guide 2027 )
- Our Construction and the Built Environment programme (including all the pathways) are fully RICS accredited, and recognised by the CIOB.
- We're ranked 1st in Scotland and 2nd in the UK for positive graduate outcomes (source: HESA Graduate Outcomes Survey)
The key driver for choosing Graduate Apprenticeships is directly addressing the well documented skills shortages in the sector, by developing employees with skills learned directly on the job and in the classroom. It gives the company the opportunity to mould employees with skills needed within the business to grow our future leaders, instead of just waiting for the right people to come to the door. They create a workforce that knows how the business works understanding company values, procedures and projects with wider sector experience from client engagement and further knowledge from their studies.
Develop the next generation of Urban Planning and Real Estate Professionals
If you're an employer involved in Urban Planning or Real Estate looking to address specific skills challenges, then we're here to help. Our dedicated team is here to help you understand how our new pathways can support your workforce development strategy and future talent needs. Follow the link below to get in touch with the team today.
Contact us today