Shape your city with a career in the built environment

Future of London offers work placements to people from ethnic minority backgrounds looking to launch their career in housing, planning or regeneration. Safaa Usmani explains why graduating from the programme helped her land a dream job.

The Emerging Talent Programme 2022-23 cohort.

For me, signing up to the Emerging Talent Programme was a no brainer. I had applied for a couple of planning roles but had been unsuccessful. This was partly due to the age-old catch-22 of a “lack of experience”, while not being given the chance to get the experience.

“Along came the Emerging Talent Programme and I thought “this is my golden ticket!”"

I had hoped a Planning Masters from the Bartlett School of Planning would be the golden ticket for a job in the industry, but I quickly learnt that wasn’t enough in a highly competitive and biased job market.

Then along came the Emerging Talent Programme and I thought “this is my golden ticket!”. I knew the variation in placements available on the programme, covering private, public and third-sector jobs, would give me invaluable experience. The programme of paid work placements with training and mentoring would help me decide which sector and job role I would like to build my career around.

For those not aware, Future of London builds thriving cities through knowledge, networks and leadership. Their unique network is passionate about finding social, environmental and economic solutions facing cities.

They are a not-for-profit organisation supported by member organisation in the public and private sector. Future of London help employers nurture talent that reflects the diversity of London.

I had previously worked in a local authority and charities, but my interests spanned elements of housing and community engagement beyond the planning discipline. A programme where I could explore roles in different organisations and pick up skills on the way was right up my street.

My experience of the programme was just what I had hoped for. My first placement was at the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). This is the government department responsible for housing, planning and the built environment – all the things I am interested in!

I felt very lucky to have the chance to work there for nine months. I had heard the application process for the civil service was extremely difficult, which had put me off applying before.

The placement was challenging but I enjoyed my time at DLUHC and learnt a lot about how the government works. I feel proud to have contributed to policy writing that led to the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill, included in the recent King’s Speech.

My final placement was with Arup - my first job in the private sector - working across the City Economics and City Planning & Regeneration team. I picked up many new skills as I developed myself as a consultant for clients including UK Government departments, local authorities, development corporations and Transport for London.

“I have secured a new role at Arup, and from January 2024 will be moving to Peru for a one-year assignment working on their Reconstruction with Changes project, which is rebuilding an area hit by flooding linked to climate change."

I also worked alongside planning colleagues doing secondments at local authorities, which gave me experience on the client side as a planning officer. My proudest achievement at Arup was researching and writing a report on the health impact of building a new bridge across a busy road in Yorkshire. Not a glamorous project, but an important one for the people living in the area!

My time at Arup gave me first-hand experience and set me up well for any future consulting roles. Good thing too, as that is exactly what I have decided to pursue. I have secured a new role at Arup, and from January 2024 will be moving to Peru for a one-year assignment working on their Reconstruction with Changes project, which is rebuilding an area hit by flooding linked to climate change.

If this has not been enough to persuade anyone from an ethnic minority background interested in a career in the built environment to apply to the ETP, then let me make two more points.

“Future of London team provides a wider network of support, events, networking opportunities, field trips and more, all to enrich the experience you have on the programme."

Firstly, you don’t do the programme alone. You will be joined by a brilliant group of other go-getters that form a supportive network of people in similar positions, whose experiences you can learn from too.

Secondly, the Future of London team provides a wider network of support, events, networking opportunities, field trips and more, all to enrich the experience you have on the programme. This is over and above the regular training days Future of London runs exclusively for each ETP cohort, where you develop skills beyond what you use in day-to-day work. Oh, and you are also paired with a personal mentor as a source of inspiration and to accompany your journey. Have I sold the programme yet?

The third round of the programme is now open. My advice is to just go for it, there is really nothing to lose. I found the application made me think hard about why I want to join the programme but also inclusive. The ETP team is very open to questions every step of the way.

I attribute at least part of my success of getting on to the ETP to being my authentic self through the application process - after all, the programme is designed to support exactly that: people from ethnic minority backgrounds who are passionate about the built environment to take their rightful places in the sector’s institutions and shape the futures of our towns and cities.

About the Emerging Talent Programme

The Emerging Talent Programme offers paid work placements with excellent public and private sector employers.

The programme is open to people from ethnic minority backgrounds, as part of Future of London’s commitment to creating a more diverse sector.

We find you full-time employment for 15 months with training and an experienced mentor. You will also get peer support from a motivated group of people like you. The next cohort starts in April 2024.

The programme leads to rewarding careers, including housing, planning, regeneration, urban design and community building.

Applications close on Monday 8 January 2024, 12pm.

If you’re an organisation reading this and would like to know how you can get involved in hosting work placements, please contact elaine@futureoflondon.org.uk.