Finding her place in property: How mentorship grew Celine’s career ambitions

For many students, industrial property can feel like an unfamiliar corner of the industry – one that rarely receives the same spotlight as residential or commercial real estate.

But for UTS student Celine Bazouni, the WIN x UTS Mentorship Program offered the chance to step inside the sector.

The experience reshaped her perception of the industry, expanded her career ambitions and introduced her to the women leading the future of industrial property.

Opening the door to industrial

Celine Bazouni had never seriously considered a career in industrial property. Like many students, she saw the sector as unfamiliar territory – one that she assumed would be heavily male-dominated and difficult to break into.

But while studying her double Bachelor of Property Economics and International Studies at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), she came across the WIN x UTS Mentorship Program. It was an opportunity that offered:

• Hands-on experience in leasing, research, marketing and client engagement
• Rotating work placements across four leading industrial firms
• A $5,000 grant to support her studies

‘I applied because the program offered a rare opportunity to explore a new area,’ Celine says. ‘At university, there was a much bigger focus on residential.’

The experience ultimately gave her a very different perspective on the sector: it was collaborative, relationship-driven and far more diverse than she expected.

‘The biggest surprise was seeing how many women were working across the industry and how supportive everyone was,’ she explains. ‘There was a real willingness to share knowledge and perspectives.’

Exposure across the industry

For Celine, the biggest drawcard was the opportunity to gain firsthand experience across four of Australia’s top industrial firms: CBRE, JLL Australia, Knight Frank and Cushman & Wakefield.

Stepping beyond theory, the two-month program covered everything from site inspections and client meetings to analyst work, capital transactions and market strategy.

At CBRE, Celine was introduced to the foundations of industrial property. She gained insight into the day-to-day life of an agent, attending multiple site inspections across western Sydney. A standout was visiting a multi-level industrial warehouse – an experience that highlighted the growing complexity of industrial infrastructure.

‘Site inspections completely changed the way I view industrial property,’ Celine says.

‘It was interesting to realise that so much – if not everything – that we consume passes through a warehouse.’

Her time at Knight Frank had her rotating across the firm’s different service lines, with a one-on-one with CEO James Patterson standing out as a particular highlight.

‘It was such a great opportunity to gain valuable insight into his leadership style and the values shaping the firm’s culture.’

Meanwhile, at Cushman & Wakefield, exposure to analyst workflows and market data gave Celine a stronger understanding of the role analytics plays in supporting agency teams. Site visits across South Sydney also broadened her perspective on the diversity of industrial markets.

At JLL Parramatta, Celine experienced a highly collaborative team culture while learning about emerging sectors – including data centres and digital infrastructure.

‘It was interesting to see how industrial real estate intersects with technological demand, particularly as businesses require more data storage and digital infrastructure,’ Celine shares.

The power of mentorship

Beyond industry exposure, it was the mentorship that left the biggest impact on Celine. Learning from women already thriving in industrial property made the career path feel tangible.

‘The women I met were inspiring and helped me build confidence and clarity,’ Celine says.

Throughout the program, Celine shadowed professionals including Caris Kinsella and Janet Jolijan at CBRE, Christiane Younes and Greer McLeod at Cushman & Wakefield, and Alexandra Nakhoul at JLL.

‘I was actively engaged with all of these agents. I had the chance to follow their work and attend site inspections with them. I asked questions about their career journeys and learned about their personal pathways into the industry,’ she says.

‘I also received mentorship from early-career analysts, which gave me a deeper understanding of their future goals and ambitions.’

Seeing women genuinely enjoying their work and building long-term careers in the industry gave Celine greater confidence in her own future within the sector.

The experience also reinforced how relationship-driven the sector is.

‘Every firm had a different culture, but across all of them, communication and relationships were incredibly important,’ she explains.

Looking ahead with confidence

What began as curiosity has now become a clear career direction for Celine.

Before the scholarship, agency had always felt intimidating from the outside. But after spending time inside the industry, her perspective completely changed.

The experience opened her eyes to the breadth of opportunities within industrial property and reinforced the importance of representation as the sector continues to evolve.

‘As the industry changes, diverse perspectives help businesses better understand clients, opportunities and the sector’s future,’ Celine says.

‘When women are visible across leadership and client-facing roles, it encourages younger women to see the industry as somewhere they can succeed too.’

The program also helped shape Celine’s long-term career ambitions, comfirming that industrial property was something she could pursue.

‘I can definitely see myself starting in an analyst role and potentially moving into agency or capital transactions in the future.’

Her advice for students considering the program? Don’t hesitate!

‘It’s such a unique opportunity to experience different firms, make meaningful connections and understand what career pathways are available.’

Keen to start your career in industrial? Follow WIN on LinkedIn to hear about upcoming mentorship and work placement opportunities.