Meet Michael

Hi, I’m Michael and I started Cala’s Graduate Programme in September 2017. Prior to this, I studied Business & Finance at Heriot-Watt Uni, where I also completed a Masters in Real Estate & Planning. I moved in to a Land Buyer role on completion of the Grad scheme, and have recently been promoted to Land Manager for Cala’s West of Scotland team. I have learnt a considerable amount over the last 4 years and it’s clear that Cala values it’s employees and offers great opportunities to progress internally.

I hadn’t thought about a career in Land or housebuilding, however, a friend recommended me to give it a try as it very much aligns with my personality and ambitions. Cala is renowned for quality and that’s what attracted me to the business.

I love having the ability to go out and meet people face to face, travelling around different parts of the country, and ultimately seeing my efforts come to life through our developments. The housebuilding industry, and the process of delivering houses requires a varied skill set, and it exposes you to a lot of different businesses and people throughout the whole development life cycle. Overall it gives you a greater understanding of the working world and you’re always learning something new.

The most important thing when starting with a new company is to get yourself settled and work to understand the business model and how you can contribute to its success. The graduate programme at Cala offers a great introduction to the company and gives you the opportunity to meet many others in a similar position to yourself. I really enjoyed the programme as it’s a guided pathway into the business/industry, giving you plenty of opportunities to learn and ask ‘silly’ questions. You’ll also make friends that are going through exactly the same process, which makes everything seem less daunting!

I would highly recommend Cala’s Graduate Programme to those looking to take a step in to the workplace. It is a great opportunity to kick start your career, and to continue your learning alongside the practicality of the working world. Whilst University prepares you for working towards deadlines, the Graduate Programme changes the perspective and focuses more on yourself (personality, management style, motivators) and how you’re best to operate within a team. This opportunity for ‘reflection’ is extremely valuable and will be one of most important lessons for your career and future progression.