Three Real Estate BSc Honours students from the University of Westminster, Ben Glazer, Rahela Begum and Danielle Berkoh-Gyamfi, were selected to participate in Project Daisy's first ever Project Daisy Week. The programme focused on the Real Estate industry and gave students the opportunity to take part in talks, site visits and panel discussions featuring key leaders from the sector.
Curated by Charlie Green, Co-founder of The Office Group (now Fora), Project Daisy is an initiative to help young people bridge the gap between the classroom and workplace to help them get career-ready after they finish education. The programme supports students studying at college or university level by offering work experience weeks in a range of sectors, such as Real Estate and Media and Technology, and puts on a variety of career events and revision programmes.
The week, held between 10-14 November, consisted of talks, site visits and panel discussions featuring leaders from organisations including Related Argent, Blackstone, Derwent London and JLL, along with 26 other companies across design, finance and technology. Students moved through the full lifecycle of a Real Estate project, from buying and financing to managing and selling. Each day explored a different topic and gave students access to the people and places shaping London’s built environment.
On the the first day students were introduced to the Real Estate sector through welcome talks, a recruitment panel, a Q&A and a site visit with Related Argent. The second day focused on design and creative vision, where students explored how architects, designers and planners shape spaces aesthetically and practically.
On the third day, students learnt about the building sector, from construction and engineering to project management and sustainability. They discovered how moving parts come together on-site to create a long-lasting outcome. The fourth day highlighted marketing and operations. Students heard from eight industry professionals about how spaces are brought to market, branded and managed, and how storytelling, community and operations turn buildings into valuable and meaningful spaces.
Finally, the week concluded with a session on how technology and hospitality are reshaping the workplace, from smart building systems to the people-first experiences that make offices lively.
Dr Jan Wilcox, Director of Employability and Senior Lecturer in Real Estate at the University of Westminster, said: “I was delighted to be contacted by Liv Arshad offering our Westminster students the opportunity to attend an immersive Real Estate Work Experience week with a curated programme of talks, site visits and panels featuring leaders from a wide range of organisations operating in the built environment. Three Westminster students, from the 34 that applied, were selected alongside students from UCL, Oxford Brookes, Reading and others. A big thank you to Charlie Green, Olly Olsen and Liv Arshad for this fantastic project; I do hope you will do it again next year!”
Student Benjamin Glazer added: “Project Daisy provided deep real-world insight into each segment of the Real Estate life cycle. It was a great opportunity to network with professionals as well as the most enthusiastic Real Estate students in the country. It was the highlight of my studies thus far and would recommend it to everyone.”
Another student, Rahela Begum, added: “I am truly grateful for the invaluable one-week work experience at Project Daisy Real Estate. It was incredibly helpful, providing hands-on insights into property development and client interactions that deepened my understanding of the industry and ignited a real passion for pursuing a career in Real Estate.”
The student’s involvement in Project Daisy Week directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 4: Quality Education and 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Learn more about Construction, Surveying and Real Estate courses at the University of Westminster.
