Q&A with Paddy Allen: Different paths into property
Pathways to Property enables people from diverse backgrounds to get into the industry from non-traditional routes, Paddy Allen, chair of the body and Colliers’ head of operational capital markets, tells Property Week.
How did Pathways to Property start?
It was set up in 2012. We raised nearly half a million pounds to get everything going and the premise was t otry to increase levels of representation and inclusion across the industry.
How much of a problem is lack of diversity in the sector?
The real estate industry is not alone in facing a lack of diversity; whether in politics, fiannce or law, there are also [diversity] issues, but we are passionate about the built environment because we feel it's where people live their lives, work and play. It is so important that as guardians of the built envrionment, we are taking on diverse and inclusive views, rather than having the views of the few affect the many.
The view was that we had to focus on the pipeline and make sure we are really working to bring the next generation through, and that the enxt generation is more representative. We needed to faclitate that and make sure there was fertile ground for the seeds to grow.
We also wanted to make sure that we are marketing the industry as somewhere people want to be. There's no point in finding diverse talent if the industry isn't very attractive to them.