Placement Student
The company
From day one, Thakeham has been driven by a clear vision: to transform the way people think about new-built developments.
Over 20 years later, that ethos is still very much alive, reflected in our numerous awards and reputation in the sector. Today, Thakeham employs close to 250 people and has a forecasted revenue of £219 million in 2023/24.
An infrastructure-led community creator and strategic land promoter, Thakeham is committed to partnerships, innovation and creating amazing places to live and work. We are industry-leading in sustainability and biodiversity. Every Thakeham home completion will be Net Zero Carbon by 2025.
We pride ourselves on our ‘Infrastructure first’ approach, ensuring communities release the benefits of new development at the outset, rather than later in the process. We deliver social, affordable and retirement housing for a wide range of housing associations and local authorities.
People are Thakeham’s most important asset, and this is reflected in the way we operate. We were recognised in the prestigious ‘Best Places to Work 2023’ and are listed in the Top 100 Best Large Companies to Work For 2023.
Our people enjoy excellent rewards and working conditions in an exciting and growing business. We offer exciting career opportunities, and are keen to develop, guide and support our employees, regardless of what stage they are in their careers.
We value diversity and encourage people to bring their full authentic selves to work. A Gold Armed Forces Covenant signatory and supporter of armed force’s charity Building Heroes, Thakeham operates a Talent for Development outreach campaign for military veterans and college leavers.
Work and fun should not be mutually exclusive and Thakeham offers a range of social events including quiz nights, BBQs and all staff parties. We run informal lunch and learns and take on charity challenges such as dragon boat racing. We encourage people to volunteer in their communities, offering two paid days per year to do so. Where roles allow, our summer hours policy in June, July and August allows people to enjoy longer weekends with their loved ones. A flexible approach to working is available all year round.
At Thakeham we build communities, together.
The department
A placement year is ideal if you want to gain a broad range of professional experience while working with a wide variety of people across the organisation.
On our one-year business placement programme, you will get experience across a number of departments in the business that will equip you will the skills you need to succeed in your career. Placements can put you at a distinct advantage when applying for future employment and help build essential industry networks. During your 12 months with Thakeham you will work in up to five different departments.
The role
The content of the role will dependent on the specific departments worked in during the year, an example could be
- Land, Planning & Design – meeting with landowners, working towards council allocations, exploring land opportunities, general department administration tasks as required by the department Director. Experience gained in CAD design.
- Marketing – assist the team with the delivery of a number of high-profile events including Goodwood Festival of Speed – The Thakeham Family Area, conferences and staff events. Social media management and sales portal maintenance.
- Commercial – assisting our estimators, surveyors and buyers to gain an understanding of how the Commercial Department provides a service to the Construction Team in relation to the subcontract and material procurement.
- Construction – working alongside an experienced site team to gain a basic understanding of what is involved in being a residential site manager with an initial overview of the day to day and weekly programming to comply with the overall master site plan. Gain a basic understanding of the construction process involved in residential house building and understand the quality achieved by Thakeham.
- Technical – gain understanding of how we produce a working package of construction drawings and information, through co-ordinating of our in-house design team, external consultants, and specialists. Design reviews and close collaboration with other departments help ensure we achieve Building Regulation compliance and meet our clients’ requirements. Site visits allow us to support our construction teams and answer design queries.
This list is not exhaustive. Tasks will be allocated to reflect increasing levels of development and experience.
The required skills
- Be currently studying for a relevant degree such as Construction Management or Business
- Excellent knowledge of MS Office (Word, Excel & Outlook)
- Excellent communication skills and confidence to liaise with people internally and externally
- Good attention to detail and organisational skills
- Effective time management skills
- Professional approach with high degree of discretion
- Ability to question, challenge and analyse
- Willing to be flexible and get involved with a wide range of tasks
- Ability to work on own initiative and generate solutions
The benefits
- Competitive salary
- Salary sacrifice car scheme
- Annual holiday allowance 26 days increasing to 27 after 3yrs service and 28 after 5yrs service (plus bank holidays)
- Life assurance
- Private medical insurance
- Health screening
- Pension scheme
- Bonus scheme
- Flexible working hours in a modern office environment / Working from Home Policy
- Excellent development and progression opportunities for the right candidate
- Company Social events
Plus a whole range of other employee benefits that we can tell you all about, our employees are rewarded for their performance, attitude and results.
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We are committed to providing equal opportunities in employment and treating people fairly. We will treat all job applicants and employees equally regardless of age, race, religious belief, colour, ethnic or national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation or disability. We welcome applicants from all sectors of society and we are committed to promoting an inclusive environment for all.
