The Careers Service is here to support your career planning to help you achieve your goals.

Whilst your primary focus during your studies is to achieve your chosen qualification, the end goal of this is likely to be a career related to the built environment sector. At the University of the Built Environment, we have qualified Careers Consultants who work closely with all teams across the institution to support you in shaping your career path.

Our Careers Team provide bespoke and impartial guidance, helping you to realise your potential and achieve your goals. Whether you are new to the sector or have been a built environment professional for a number of years, we understand that the careers journey is not always linear. Sometimes a gradual approach to exploring your options is best, and it can take a few appointments with a Careers Consultant to explore possibilities and devise a plan to get there. That’s why the Careers Team is available for you to contact as soon as you begin your studies, until the very end of your programme and beyond.

Choosing a career path does not have to be hard, but it does require effort and thinking. Whilst it can feel like there’s a lot of pressure to know exactly what career you want before you start looking for a job, it’s actually very normal to be unsure. The most important aspect to think about is your own interests and motivation, and go from there. The Careers Service at University of the Built Environment are here to support you to do just that.

The Careers Service provides:

• Access to training to boost your business and personal skills, and your employability
• Bespoke career plans and guidance specific to your individual needs
• Information and advice on joining professional bodies and accreditation
• Support with job hunting strategies and preparation of employment
• A CV review service
• Job Shop
• 1:1 career guidance appointments

We use a platform called Careers Connect to manage and deliver our Careers resources, appointment bookings, queries and CV reviews. You can use your university credentials to login and access this platform.

There is no need to have all the answers when you attend an appointment with the Careers Team. Use this opportunity as a chance to talk through your strengths, passions, and prior work experience, working with your Careers Consultant to build a careers plan that’s just as unique as you are. As well as helping to shape your future, having a clear career plan early on in your studies can also act as a motivator throughout your studies, reminding you of the end goal.

Here are some ways you can explore potential career paths as you study:

• Talk to people in the industry – this can include colleagues, tutors, and others on your course
• Explore networking options such as LinkedIn
• Attend careers fairs – there are often in person and online options
• Explore built environment job profiles for more information on what your day-to-day might look like in different professions
• Job shadowing or work experience can give you a first hand insight into a particular role
• Industry focused podcasts such as Building Better and Material Source give an inspiring insight into the impact you can have as a built environment professional

Important factors to consider

When exploring which job or career will best suit you, it’s important to consider your:

• interests and preferences
• motivation and values
• strengths, skills and experience
• access needs, and possible adjustments to support you at work

Advice on finding a job that’s right for you from the National Autistic Society

Advice on reasonable adjustments from the National Autistic Society

Evenbreak – Job board for disabled candidates

Employability – Information and advice service for inclusive recruitment

The Image Project – Information and resources focusing on improving employability of autistic graduate in Europe

Access to Work is a government grant scheme which supports disabled people in work. It can pay for support such as specialist software, support workers, mentoring, travel, and adapted equipment