Station Hill, the groundbreaking mixed-use development in Reading, proudly hosted and supported this year’s “Pathways to Property Programme” summer school, a week-long camp at the University of Reading where over 100 bright and ambitious students aged 16-17 from across the country came together to learn more about the property sector.

The program was set up by the Reading Real Estate Foundation (RREF) in partnership with Henley Business School. Recognising the lack of diversity within the property sector, the project is aimed at students from disadvantaged non-traditional property backgrounds. The event provides students with the opportunity for them to learn more about the wide range of careers within the industry to see if it’s a career route for them.

Last week’s event, held at Station Hill by the developer Lincoln Property Company, provided an unparalleled opportunity for these young minds to explore various facets of the property industry and interact with stakeholders from across the entire project team.

Split into four groups, the students were treated to an exclusive tour of the Station Hill site, where they witnessed firsthand the intricacies of creating a modern urban development that blends residential, commercial, and recreational spaces seamlessly.

Following the insightful tour, the students gathered for presentations from a diverse array of industry stakeholders associated with the project. Lawyers shed light on the legal aspects, architects shared their innovative design perspectives, and developers from Lincoln Property Company unveiled their vision for the state-of-the-art mixed-use development at Station Hill which will include up to 1,300 new homes, 625,000 sq ft of office space and 95,000 sq ft of retail, leisure and amenity space once complete.

Lee Fearnhead, the Director of Construction for UK & Europe at Lincoln Property Company said: “We are immensely proud to have been asked to host this event at Station Hill. Witnessing these talented students immerse themselves in the development process and see them interacting with various stakeholders was truly fantastic.

“Our hope is that this experience will ignite their passion to enter the property industry and, hopefully in the near future, see them working on projects such as Station Hill as the next generation of property professionals.”

Victor Nicholls, Lecturer in Development and Planning at the Henley Business School, University of Reading, and Academic Lead for Pathways to Property, said: “The visit to Station Hill was a highlight of our week-long summer school, clearly inspiring so many students. We rely on strong industry partners and the support from Lincoln Property Company and MGT Investment Management has been second to none. I’d like to express my thanks to everybody involved in making a real difference to our young people.”

Continuing the momentum, Lincoln Property Company were delighted to join the students last Friday, for a series of presentations by the students led by RREF, allowing them to analyse and delve deeper into the Station Hill project details they had encountered during the site visit earlier in the week. These interactive sessions served as an invaluable platform to answer queries, seek guidance, and allow them to envision their own future careers.

The “Pathways to Property” event at Station Hill exemplified the developer’s commitment to nurturing and empowering young talent with the aim to make a lasting impact on these aspiring students and motivate them to become the trailblazers of tomorrow’s property industry.