Marcus Weeks is Director and Head of Living at Firethorn
At Firethorn, we’re committed to supporting the next generation of property professionals, by creating new opportunities for young people to explore careers in the sector.
We believe that the best way to gain professional insight is through first-hand industry experience – hearing directly from our team of sector experts to better understand how our development projects are planned and delivered.
Our outreach activity spans two key strands – schools engagement programmes and work experience placements. Through these initiatives, we aim to open doors, build confidence, and help talented young people take their first steps into real estate.
Engaging local students
Our schools engagement programme is designed to introduce students to the wide variety of opportunities within the real estate industry and help them explore their future career options.
Recently, we welcomed students from Longridge Towers School and Loretto School to The Malt Works, our purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) development in Edinburgh. I was joined by Firethorn’s Associate Development Manager, Marcus Allen, to give a presentation outlining the site’s build journey from planning to fit out, as well as sharing our own personal career journeys. From experiences at school, to the jobs that led us to our current roles at Firethorn, we wanted to help demonstrate the number of different pathways into the real estate sector.
The visit culminated with a guided site tour of The Malt Works, as the site nears completion ahead of its opening later this year. This provided students with first-hand insights into how large-scale build projects progress from acquisition to delivery.
By offering theoretical and practical exposure to our development portfolio, students can learn more about the wide variety of roles within the sector, and how each specialism plays a vital part in bringing projects to life. We hope that this experience can act as a springboard to future career opportunities, providing a platform for the next generation of talent to thrive and succeed.
Work experience and internship opportunities
We’re also proud to offer work experience placements at Firethorn to help young talent bridge the gap between education and employment. Through a partnership with Pathways to Property, led by Henley Business School, we frequently welcome students into our London head office, providing them with practical insights into the industry.
Our placements provide young people with the unique opportunity to work across multiple teams – including development, acquisitions, and asset management – allowing them to shadow experienced members of staff and understand how a fast-paced office operates.
These experiences are designed to help students develop technical understanding, as well as build their confidence, professional awareness, and preferred career direction.
Recently, we welcomed Jamal Gohar, a current A-Level student from Pathways to Property, for a four-day work experience placement.
Reflecting on his time with Firethorn, he said:
“My week at Firethorn was an incredibly insightful experience. I particularly enjoyed contributing to the Living team, where I shared a student’s perspective on the evolving demand for PBSA.
“The week concluded with a site visit to One Bessborough Gardens, which brought practical context to everything I had learned. A huge thank you to everyone at Firethorn for such a welcoming and rewarding experience!”
As a business, we have a strong commitment to creating pathways into the industry for young people looking to kick-start their careers. We look forward to continuing this work and giving the next generation the opportunity to see and experience what a career in real estate could look like for them.
Following a high volume of applications, our work experience placements for 2026 are now fully subscribed. We appreciate the level of interest shown and hope to share additional opportunities in the future.
