How do we make built environment careers more inclusive and accessible?
Posted on: 1 September, 2025
By Matthew Fedigan 
Lecturer in Construction Law
When I joined the University of the Built Environment, I knew I wanted to do more than teach law – I wanted to help shape a profession that reflects the society it serves. Recently, I had the privilege of exploring this theme on the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) podcast, one of the leading platforms for industry insight. Our conversation centred on a question that matters to us all – how do we tackle skills shortages while also making the built environment more inclusive and accessible?
Multiple pathways are key
For me, the starting point is the creation of multiple pathways into the profession. Degree apprenticeships, traditional degrees and flexible learning models each bring value. These options expand opportunity for people who might otherwise be excluded – school leavers, career changers and those balancing caring or family commitments. Widening participation gives businesses access to a broader talent pool, and that diversity drives innovation.
Accent bias, social class, race and gender
But we must also acknowledge the systemic barriers that remain. RICS research has identified challenges linked to accent bias, social class, race and gender – factors that still shape recruitment and progression. These are not theoretical issues but lived realities for many. I have made it a personal mission to challenge such barriers, whether through my teaching, my work as a mediator and adjudicator, or through conversations on my own podcast, ‘Doesn’t Sound Right’. Speaking with voices such as Cherie Blair CBE KC and Mary Prior KC, Chair of the Criminal Bar Association, has reinforced a simple truth – authenticity and equality are not only moral imperatives but make sound business sense.
I am also encouraged by the work of others. Faye Allen’s ‘Building Women’ makes a powerful case for improving career prospects and retention for women, and for the benefits this brings to the entire industry. These kinds of conversations help to shape the culture of our profession.
Embracing diversity in the built environment
My own journey – from Chartered Building Surveyor and RICS International Surveyor of the Year to Gray’s Inn Double Scholar, adjudicator, mediator and now Lecturer in Law – has taught me that education is the foundation of change. By embracing diversity in education we strengthen businesses, broaden opportunity and build a profession capable of leaving a fairer, more sustainable legacy.
The built environment is about more than bricks and mortar – it is about people. And if we want to create a better future, we must ensure that everyone has a place in it.
Listen to the full discussion on the RICS Podcast, or find the episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Amazon Music.
Interested in making a difference to the built environment? Explore our courses here.
