When I interviewed as a prospective graduate building surveyor at Vickery Holman’s Truro office earlier this year, I had just about completed the 3rd year of my BSc Building Surveying degree at UCEM and was on my way to a job up the river Fal on an insurance boat building job. Fast forward 5 months, I have been involved in over 30 jobs of all types and varieties, 9 of which I am running in a solo capacity, with guidance from my endearing seniors who are always incredibly helpful.
The type of work that I have been a part of to date has included building (and measurement) surveys, contract administration & project monitoring, boundary disputes, dilapidations claims, party wall matters, reinstatement cost assessments, quinquennial church surveys, disability adaptations, historic buildings and quite a lot more.
Vickery Holman have been very flexible with my working practices as I am currently completing the 4th and final year of my degree, alongside working towards my RICS APC and now working full time. Most weeks are usually split between surveys on site, working in the office, and if you’re lucky at the pub! We are fortunate enough to have an eclectic network of young surveyors and professionals in the county, and often get involved in the Cornwall & Devon RICS Matrics group.
Given our coverage outside of Cornwall, we regularly work in our Plymouth and Exeter offices which is always a good experience working alongside our extended teams. We have strong building surveying departments in all offices and as a result you benefit from a range of work opportunities and training each time you go up. If nothing else there is usually always cake in Plymouth!
The age old narrative of ‘you need to serve your time in London to be suitably rounded surveyor’ in my opinion is nonsense. If you’re looking for a prospective career in surveying, you don’t need to leave the South West. Looking for building surveying work across Cornwall wasn’t an easy task, there are few firms in Cornwall with the capacity or willingness to take on junior surveyors. But…
When I approached Vickery Holman, there wasn’t officially a job vacancy however given their forward thinking mentality to introducing new surveyors into the workplace when opportunities arise, they were able to offer a position perfectly tailored to my position. It is always worth checking in with our careers team as the company is continually growing with new opportunities and positions!
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