Identity Consult – IC The Future – Chapter 4b: “Our relationship helps students see genuine progression routes into the industry” by Jane Loxley

IC the future: “Our relationship helps students see genuine progression routes into the industry” by Jane Loxley  

For 20 years, Identity Consult has worked with Northumbria University – a collaboration that has so far resulted in 22 of the university’s graduates joining the business.  

This relationship continues to thrive, not least because of Identity Consult’s close collaboration with Jane Loxley, Assistant Professor and Employer Engagement Lead for the School of Architecture and Built Environment at the institution. 

Through this reciprocal partnership, Identity Consult and Jane are bridging the gap between academia and industry, with Jane ensuring students leave the classroom ready for the realities and opportunities of the construction industry, with Identity Consult supplying the essential hands-on experience to go with it.  

In this article, the latest in our IC20 series, Jane shares her thoughts on what makes the collaboration with Identity Consult so successful, and the part it plays in shaping the future.  

The partnership we have with Identity Consult is really win-win – built over time and with proof in the numbers, we’ve built a transition between classroom and career which works.  

I’m proud that we can give our students experience in a real workplace environment – even before they graduate. One of the biggest challenges we’ve faced is a lack of visibility around what the industry actually involves day to day – this collaboration counters that by giving students a chance to go out into the field. 

Identity Consult gains an advantage too – seeing potential employees in action over an extended period rather than just in an interview. 

Graduate recruitment then builds on that pipeline, with the degree apprenticeship route providing an alternative pathway for those steering away from the more traditional university path. Together these options give firms such as Identity Consult different entry points to bring talented people into the industry, and students multiple routes of access depending on what best suits them. 

It’s no wonder this relationship has been strengthened over so many years. We’re sitting on either side of the same chain, we’ve just tightened the link and that’s resulted in 22 Northumbria University students building their careers at Identity Consult. 

There are great success stories too; Gemma Franke, Greg Humphreyson and Layla Payne all lovely examples of ambitious young people who’ve moved up from graduate roles through to Consultant, Associate Director and Associate respectively.  

I taught Greg in Real Estate, and when he graduated in 2017 he chose to further continue his education at Northumbria to study an MSc in Construction Project Management. It’s always lovely to see how well he is doing and to catch up with him at events like our annual Built Environment Careers Fair. These events provide a great backdrop for Identity Consult to have conversations with our students early on, well before they are ready to apply for roles – and I get to catch up with past students in a professional capacity too.  

Strengthening Links  

As experts on the frontline of attracting the next generation, both Identity Consult and the university are further bridging the gap with the introduction of a Knowledge Transfer Partnership. This forward-thinking initiative  builds on our already strong pathways by providing Identity Consult access to applied academic research, and a graduate embedded within the business to work on a specific strategic project. It adds a further layer to the relationship beyond placements and graduate recruitment, and strengthens our ongoing bond. 

We’re all aware of the skills shortage but overall I’m optimistic about what I’m seeing. There is more conversation around women in the sector  – with a growing number of women coming through our Real Estate and Built Environment programmes. In terms of what attracts people into the industry, students respond well to seeing genuine progression routes and real people they can relate to, which is exactly what Identity Consult’s story offers.  

Working with Identity Consult across several strands has resulted in a brilliant relationship. Not only are we linked through the students, but I also sit alongside Andrew Milnes and Mark Doherty on the RICS North East Regional Board. Mark and I also work together each year on an event at St James Park – all pointing to how industry relationships overlap.  

And I hope this continues to be the case. Right now I’m finalising a Built Environment Industry Liaison Board at Northumbria, where we’ll cover each of our SABE disciplines, including Built Environment, Architecture, Construction Project Management and Degree Apprenticeships.  

I hope to attract industry contacts to help shape our curriculum, employability support and student engagement and would love to have Identity Consult represented on the board, giving them a direct voice in how we prepare students for the industry. It’s how  we’ll create tangible progress within the industry, as well as providing a platform to tackle key challenges. Above all it will be a place to collaborate on how education and industry can continue to work together to prepare new talent. 

In short, the Identity Consult partnership works so well because it spans so many elements, from placements, graduate recruitment, degree apprenticeships, to the KTP and now hopefully the Industry Liaison Board too. This kind of sustained engagement is exactly what helps students see a genuine pathway into the industry. 

The built environment sector desperately needs a steady flow of new talent, and firms that engage early and consistently, the way Identity Consult do, make a real difference in shaping how students see their future careers – long may it continue.