From Student Pathway to Development Officers

Can a student award program help launch a career? For Mark Del Casale and Liam Fukumoto, the answer is yes.

The Skyfields team first met Mark and Liam through the Property Education Foundation's (PEF) Awards for Academic Excellence program while they were second-year property students. Impressed by their talent and potential, Skyfields offered both students internship opportunities while they completed their studies. They later graduated as Dux of their respective year groups in Curtin University's Property Development and Valuation stream.

Throughout the six-month internship with Skyfields, their enthusiasm, capability and contribution led to permanent opportunities as Development Officers, and they recently celebrated their first year in this role with Skyfields.

Their journey reflects the powerful impact that industry partnerships can have on career pathways. In a fitting full-circle moment, Skyfields' Chief Property Officer, Dan Sweet, was himself a recipient of a PEF Award some 20 years ago, highlighting the long-term impact these programs can have on property professionals.

"The PEF partnership is about more than recognising academic achievement — it's about creating pathways into the industry," Dan said.

"Mark and Liam embraced the opportunity, made significant contributions during their internships and are now valued members of our team. Their story shows what's possible when industry and education work together to support emerging professionals."

As a Development Officer, Mark supports land development and built form projects across the Airport Estate, including Dunreath Green, a 26-hectare greenfield retail and lifestyle precinct. He also supports the Skyfields team in unlocking several other new land subdivision opportunities whilst simultaneously engaging with tenants to develop new facilities for their growing businesses in the new subdivision areas. Beyond major projects, Mark credits the Skyfields team culture for enabling him to balance work, study and family commitments while building the foundations of his career.

“Through my internship at Skyfields, I was able to work full-time while completing my degree, allowing me to support my young family while transitioning into a new career in property development. While many organisations speak about work-life balance, Skyfields gave me the opportunity to genuinely experience it. Combined with the exposure I’ve gained across a diverse range of projects, I couldn’t have asked for a better foundation to start my career in property development,” said Mark.

For Liam, the internship provided practical experience working on major projects while learning from professionals across the business.

"Completing my internship at Skyfields was an incredibly valuable experience," Liam said. "I was welcomed into a supportive and professional environment where every team member was approachable and clearly skilled in their work. The culture of Skyfields is one of collaboration, growth and high standards, which made it an ideal place for me to learn and develop my skills."

Today, Liam supports projects within the Redcliffe Station precinct, including the growing town centre and office park. Most recently he has assisted delivery of a new three-storey office building, a flagship Dan Murphy's at Dunreath Village, leasing of specialty tenancies, and overseen the installation of a 55-metre mural fronting High Street.

"I have the opportunity to contribute hands-on to real projects and see firsthand how the different areas of the property business come together," Liam said.

Together, Mark and Liam are contributing to projects that form part of one of Australia's most significant urban development opportunities, while building careers of their own in the property industry.

Their progression through the PEF Awards for Excellence program to full-time members of the Skyfields development team highlights the value of connecting education with industry, creating opportunities for talented students to gain experience, build professional networks and take the first steps in their careers.

For Skyfields, it is also a reminder that some of the most meaningful outcomes of industry partnerships are not measured in projects or precincts, but in the people whose lives they help shape.