SO, YOU’VE put in the work, got the grades, but now it’s crunch time.
It‘s time to decide what you want to do for the rest of your life.
You want to do something interesting and hopefully exciting. You want to do something different, but you’re not exactly sure what and, of course, whatever you do has to pay well.
If you decide that it’s fame and fortune you are looking for, a celebrity jet set lifestyle and instant megabucks, then read no further. This article is not for you. BUT if you are looking for an interesting, varied, challenging and diverse career, one where your skills are continually tested and the financial rewards are good, then read on.
Why not become a chartered surveyor?
But hang on! Aren’t surveyors boring grey haired old men who wander around building sites in suits, looking at plans and squinting into something that looks like a telescope?
Nothing could be farther from the truth.
The roots of surveying go back into the mists of time. The builders of Stonehenge and the pyramids must have had a basic understanding of the principles of surveying. None of the great medieval cathedrals or the later grand stately homes would have been built without a surveyor. The role of the surveyor increased in importance as societies advanced — canals, roads, railways, mines, factories, shops, houses all needed surveyors to make them happen. And so it continues to the present day.
Today’s chartered surveyors are involved in virtually every facet of modern life. There is nothing that happens in today’s environment that doesn’t involve one at some stage. Surveyors have to understand how the built and natural environment work, the impact they have on people’s business, on governments and economies around the world.
The variety of work is staggering — from advising government and local authorities on planning, through to making sure buildings are properly constructed and costed, to considering the financial dynamics of property investment and property management. Managing farms and rural estates, managing the mountains of waste that society produces, protecting wildlife and their environment, advising on the restoration and protection of old buildings, making sure old factory sites are safe for further use, looking after the giant shopping complexes that are a feature of modern life. The list is endless.
One thing is certain — there is no such thing as an average day.
You might be working for an investment bank in London’s Canary Wharf or helping a developing nation have the things we take for granted in our everyday lives — clean water, electricity, hospitals. You might be working for a global consultancy in Sydney or developing a social housing programme in a run-down part of Birmingham. You could be involved in planning or assessing the impact of a new airport terminal or actually involved in building one — or appearing on the Antiques Road Show! Yes many antiques experts are chartered surveyors too.
You could be involved in mapping, satellite imagery, the search for new natural resources or assessing the impact of man on existing resources. You could be helping a war torn country to rebuild its infrastructure or a newly wed couple find a new home. You certainly won’t be bored. And it’s a lifetime commitment.
So how do you go about becoming a chartered surveyor?
There are many ways to qualify. You will normally need three A levels or four Scottish Highers to do a degree in a surveying discipline. If you have completed a degree course that is not RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) approved, or is a non-surveying related degree you can still complete a postgraduate RICS approved course.
Next step after the degree course is to move to the Assessment of Professional Competence (APC). Two years of structured training while working for an employer followed by a final assessment interview.
Or you could become a technical surveyor first. Technical surveyors can only undertake some of the work of a chartered surveyor. This requires a relevant HNC/HND OR S/HVQ4 followed by two years RICS structured training with an assessment interview at the end. Once you have gained technical membership you can then take a bridging course to become a chartered surveyor at a later date.
You can also take a conversion course if you have completed a degree or diploma previously that is not RICS approved. This may require either completing approved modules or an approved higher degree course.
When the APC is completed you will become a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors or MRICS. If you thought that was it, then think again. For the rest of your working life as a chartered surveyor, you will have to complete a number of hours each year on Continued Professional Development (CPD) — approved study to keep you up to date.
All courses are approved by RICS. As a chartered body, RICS is pledged to act in the public interest, upholding standards of competence and integrity among its 110,000 members, who work in over 120 countries. RICS qualifications are recognised worldwide. There are currently 50 universities and colleges who offer RICS courses in the United Kingdom and many, many more worldwide
And the rewards? Well, how long is a piece of string? Dependent on where you are based you won’t be earning a fortune at the start, but salaries can rise very rapidly with experience. Many chartered surveyors either run or have their own companies, and the sky is the limit if you are good.
So there you have it. If you are looking for something that is not boring, where there is no such thing as an average day, where you will be doing something with value and earn a decent living in the process, think about surveying.
n Winifred Cooksey is Deputy Director of Education and Training (Development) at RICS www.rics.org.uk
