The diverse future of our built environment industry relies on converting a broad university intake into an inclusive community of professionals.

In this episode of The RICS Podcast, Machel Bogues heads up a panel with Matthew Fedigan FRICS, Sybil Taunton and Lucy Day. With a breadth of experience and backgrounds, our guests weigh in on the barriers that need breaking for new, diverse talent to transition from education into the profession as a whole.

This episode of The RICS Podcast covers:

• Examining the barriers that might prevent diverse talent from transitioning from higher education into the built environment
• The impact of gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic background on access, progression, and experiences within the sector
• Preparing students for successful careers through practical skills development, placements, and apprenticeships
• The role of mentorship, visibility, and support networks in fostering inclusion
• How industry-wide collaboration, cultural change, and accountability can drive greater access and equity within the profession

Diversity and the Built Environment: student experiences and challenges with accessing the labour market: https://www.ciob.org/sites/default/files/2025-08/Diversity%20and%20the%20Built%20Environment%20Pipeline%20REPORT_.pdf

Sybil Taunton

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sybil-taunton-97261246/

Machel Bogues

https://www.linkedin.com/in/machel-bogues/

Matthew Fedigan

https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-fedigan-837a8822/

Lucy Day

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-day-4b0834251/

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors:

https://www.rics.org/uk/

RICS Podcast Page

https://www.rics.org/podcast/

Kieran Halliwell

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kdhalliwell/