For the past three years, my mind was hyperfixated on University, coursework, and the classroom setting. The thought of a world outside of it has never really occurred in my mind, and the idea of starting an internship felt like a road that I had always seen yet never stepped foot on. However, with my time in University ending, I know sooner rather than later, I will be living with a brand new reality in my life. The journey to get into this moment has been long; it took me four years in college to decide that it is time to accelerate my growth at Colliers Philippines.
The internship experience at Colliers Philippines
When I began my work, I realized that Colliers is not just a company that brings in interns to assign routine tasks. Rather, it is a think tank where mentors take an active, hands-on role in shaping the professional growth of its interns. The workload is both dynamic and intentional. In particular, it strengthens four key pillars: reading, writing, analysis, and presentation. These skills work together to produce quality outputs and communicate insightful ideas clearly and concisely.
Through this experience, I learned that research is not only about gathering information, but also about knowing how to understand, refine, and communicate it with purpose. Each task challenged me to think critically, write clearly, and present ideas with greater confidence on recent market and economic developments in the Philippines. I once perceived these as my responsibilities as an intern, without realizing that these are intentional exercises that are given to me for my professional growth.
A real estate eye-opener
Being a research intern at Colliers opened new avenues for how I understood real estate, economics, and society. I always analyze how markets behave and how policies affect people’s lives. That said, my internship helped me see that these ideas are not only found in textbooks; rather, they are visible in cities and communities where we live. Anchored by this exposure, I realized that the way cities grow, spaces are consumed, and how housing is distributed among society reflects the issue of economic inequality and opportunity. The lack of dignified housing for marginalized communities made me realize that urban development should not only be measured by luxurious tall buildings or appreciating land values, but also by how inclusive and humane that development becomes.
Furthermore, this internship changed the way I view properties. Before, I would look at them mainly from the outside: their height, design, location, and overall appearance. Now, I find myself subconsciously thinking about the inside of it. I wonder about the vacancy rates, net take-up, tenant demand, and whether they are built with green and sustainable technologies. A building is no longer just a building to me; it has become a reflection of demand drivers, market conditions, and the larger story of how people, businesses, and cities move.
Growth accelerated at Colliers
What began as an internship slowly became a commitment to the kind of work I want to value: thoughtful, purposeful, and grounded in real-world impact. Colliers Philippines showed me that research can shape how I can deeply understand cities, markets, and the people who live within them. Now, I leave this internship with a profound sense of direction and a clearer understanding that meaningful growth begins when learning is connected to purpose. Given this, I can confidently say that my time at Colliers truly helped me to accelerate my growth.
Andrei Catangay is a research intern at Colliers Philippines and is a 4th-year student pursuing a double degree in Applied Economics and Management of Financial Institutions at De La Salle University Manila.
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