IMAGE: British Land’s summer interns at the Dock Offices in Canada Water, with Samuel on the far right 

The property industry offers a wide variety of career opportunities, and here at Canada Water there will be many jobs becoming available over the next decade and beyond as the development takes shape.  

For young people interested in the property sector, British Land offers two internship opportunities: an annual Career Ready programme 16- to 18-year-olds, providing early industry exposure, and a graduate internship designed for university graduates (see the bottom of the page for more information).  

Samuel, about to enter his second year of sixth form at St Thomas the Apostle College in Southwark, recently completed a four-week internship with the team at Canada Water through the Career Ready programme.  

During his time with us, Samuel got stuck into various projects, including a development project presentation and co-leading a tour of the Canada Water development site for other interns. He guided other interns through project videos in the VR room and walked them around the site, discussing the existing sites and works, as well as future plans. Samuel also researched opportunities in the STEM and environmental sectors, building an understanding of the skills required for these roles and identifying training providers in Southwark who could support the community’s employment needs. Additionally, Samuel researched businesses for British Land to approach to help local people gain employment and identified ways to support these businesses, as well as initiatives that could benefit local people, such as community gardens and sports clubs. 

Samuel said his favourite assignment working for British Land was a group project focused on redeveloping the old Holloway Prison site. The project involved proposing a development plan, including potential joint venture partners, financing strategies, and addressing local community needs. The group then presented their proposal to an internal board, who provided feedback on their ideas. He said the exercise gave him a sense of the various factors British Land needs to consider when making a success of a large-scale urban development, such as our 53 acres here in Canada Water. The internship has also helped him develop an understanding of how crucial the planning process is, he said, and how many different organisations a developer needs to engage with to obtain planning permission. 

“Through this internship I’ve been able to evolve as a person,” said Samuel. “Tasks such as presenting and leading a tour have enabled me to feel more confident and express myself. The internship has also developed my ability of being independent as I got the chance to travel around London and make decisions myself. Moreover, I’ve gained vast amounts of knowledge, which has deepened my interest in pursuing real estate after education.” 

To find out more about joining an internship with British Land, including the annual Career Ready program at our London sites (Paddington, Canada Water, Regent’s Place, Broadgate, etc.), or our broader internship opportunities, visit these pages: 

• https://careerready.org.uk/internships/ 

• https://www.britishland.com/careers/graduates-apprentices-and-interns