Commercial Real Estate Apprenticeship
TfL are one of London’s largest landowners! Be a part of the organisation shaping London and progress your career in the property sector.
Salary:
£29,281
Location:
Victoria Station House, London
Hybrid working – Initially, you will be expected to be in the office or at university 4 days a week, working 1 day at home. With agreement from your Line Manager and Placement Manager, you may be able to increase the number of days working from home.
What we offer
You will enjoy excellent benefits and scope to grow:
• Free travel on the TfL network for you and a nominee who lives in the same household
• Final salary pension scheme
• Discounted national rail (75% on season tickets) and Eurostar travel
• 30 days annual leave plus public and bank holidays
• Tax-efficient cycle-to-work programme
• Retail, health, leisure and travel offers & many more
Duration 5 years
Entry requirements
You should already hold or be working towards:
• A minimum of 2 GCSE’s (or equivalent) Grade 4 (C) and above including Maths and English
• A minimum of 96 UCAS points
You’re not eligible for this scheme if you currently hold or are working towards a qualification at the same or higher level in a related subject or have already studied content from the qualification for this scheme.
You must be 18 years of age by 8th September 2025 to be eligible for this scheme.
Required entrance criteria are correct at time of publishing and may be subject to change due to retendering of apprenticeship training provision.
Proposed start date
8th September 2025
Job overview
For 160 years, Transport for London has kept London moving. It has been one of the city’s biggest innovators. Places for London, the TfL property company, is its latest innovation. At Places for London, we are here to unlock the potential of TfL land and create a greener, kinder, and more connected London for everyone.
We have been home to over 1,500 businesses in stations and railway arches and on London’s high streets for decades. And now, we’re working to release more of the untapped opportunity in TfL’s property portfolio and curate more of the places that Londoners need to thrive.
With 5,500+ acres, stretching across almost every borough, TfL is already one of London’s largest landowners. At Places for London, we’re on a mission to help it become one of the most impactful too.
Property is at the heart of solving some of our city’s biggest challenges – housing pressures, TfL’s financial sustainability, and the need to keep London moving, working and growing. Our teams focus on generating non-fare related revenue for the organisation and all profits are reinvested back into the transport network.
Sustainability
Sustainability is intrinsic to TfL’s work ethos, and we ensure that we operate in a sustainable way to protect and regenerate the natural world. Places for London has been award a fivestar GRESB rating for the last 4 years, and in 2024 we were again ranked first amongst our UK peers.
What will I be doing?
As an apprentice, your five-year development programme will be made up of at least five placement rotations. Our aim is to equip you with the range of skills and experience you need for a successful career in the property sector.
We understand that everyone’s career is different, so each apprentice’s journey is unique. Here’s an idea of what yours could look like:
Year 1: Property Management – 12 months – Focused on the renewal of excluded and protected leases, you’ll be undertaking the rent reviews, lease assignments, licences to alter, inspections and measurements. You’ll also maintain and observe the Health and Safety regulations and manage the maintenance of the building using a service charge budget.
Year 2: Commercial Revenue – 12 months – You’ll undertake asset strategies and projects, including refurbishments and unit amalgamation, lettings, market liaison, valuations, business planning, budgeting and associated place making aligned to our customer strategy.
Year 3: Property Services – 12 months – Depending on your chosen APC competencies, you may gain experience in rating or compulsory purchase orders (CPO). In addition, you’ll liaise with third party surveyors on dilapidations, service charges, inspections and measurements. You’ll get the unique experience of acting as agent for both landlord and tenant.
Year 4: Property Development – 12 months – This is a key area of Places for London’s growth, where you’ll be involved in delivering new homes for Londoners. You will work on projects at different stages of development including feasibility and planning. In addition, you’ll gain experience in producing development appraisals and will receive training on the valuation tool Argus Developer.
Year 5: Other – +6 months – You’ll rotate through strategy and customer and performance teams, providing an insight into the strategic approach we take, working on performance reporting and how we manage our customer base. This’ll give you some key experience on scorecards, finance and strategy.
The first placement will be fixed in Property Management, and your following placements will be mutually agreed to ensure you gain experience on the widest possible range of technologies, tools and teams.
Where can this career take me?
Property provides a fantastic opportunity to make a difference using your own skill set. There are many avenues to pursue and a myriad of options depending on the choices you take and the work you choose to get involved with. At TfL, we provide the opportunity to gain qualifications and develop a career in the property world through our diverse teams.
Upon successful completion of this scheme, you’ll roll-off as a Property Surveyor, Property Manager or Assistant Development Manager.
What qualifications will I gain?
You’ll be working towards a Level 6 qualification (degree level), which will involve attending the University of Westminster one day per week (either remotely or in person), as well as completing assignments outside of work. Alongside this, you’ll also be supported to complete your Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Assessment of Professional Competencies (APC).
What training and support will you get?
Our award-winning teams will support your ongoing development, through a wide range of on-the-job practical experience and placements. We'll support your professional development through a combination of training, mentoring, and networking.
You'll also receive one-to-one guidance throughout the programme from your:
• Placement manager: Responsible for your day-to-day management and support with your development
• Scheme sponsor: A senior manager who acts as a technical and professional adviser and has line manager responsibility
• Buddy: Usually an apprentice or graduate who gives support to you and ensure that you feel welcomed in the organisation
• Development adviser: Supports your professional development through providing career coaching and career progression at TfL
At Places for London, there’s an established Graduate and Apprentice Committee as well as an alumni group. These are powerful networks that’ll help to develop your understanding of the organisation and opportunities to develop your career.
What do we look for?
Our core values are extremely important to us, and we desire candidates who are:
• Caring about our colleagues, our customers and our work
• Open to each other, to new ideas and to working together
• Adaptable to diverse needs and willing to innovate
Everything we do as an organisation is to ensure that our evolving city is future proofed for millions of Londoners. Our talented apprentices form a vital part of that vision, so it’s important that we find the best people to help us do this. We’re looking for people who have:
• A creative approach to problem solving
• An inquisitive mind
• Strong communication skills
As a member of the team, we’ll give you significant responsibility and the opportunity to add value. It’s not uncommon for our apprentices to manage high value contracts or projects. If you’re excited by the chance to shape the future of London, then this is the apprenticeship for you.
