Today marks 3 months since I joined Vickery Holman as a graduate general practice surveyor. In this time, I have been made to feel very welcome by the team in Plymouth and the other offices in Truro, Exeter and Bristol.
Despite the challenges of beginning a new job in September 2020, under the restrictive circumstances brought about by the Coronavirus pandemic, Vickery Holman have been extremely supportive. As a new graduate, without prior experience in the industry, the support of my colleagues has been fundamental in ensuring I fall into step with the pace of Vickery Holman. As a sign of the times, I have had to adapt to utilising remote support networks by meeting many of my teammates for the first time over videocall. Despite such barriers, my colleagues have always found time to make sure I feel confident in my role and no question has been too small or insignificant.
I am currently working with the Valuation team in Plymouth, with some work linked to the Exeter office too. This has involved providing valuations for market value and secured lending purposes for a range of residential and commercial properties, including those that fall within Charities Act and affordable housing categories. As I become more established, I look forward to furthering my knowledge by working with the Lease Advisory and Ratings teams to experience a wider spectrum of the services provided by Vickery Holman.
As part of my position, I have been enrolled on the APC to become a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. Vickery Holman are well established in co-ordinating additional learning opportunities for the APC and my Counsellor is always available to provide support. There have already been two APC training sessions delivered to graduates allowing me to familiarise myself with the requirements of my relevant competencies. Being able to learn from other graduates, further along in their APC journeys, also provides a great support network. 2020 has been a successful year for APCs, with Vickery Holman candidates achieving a 100% pass rate and 3 newly qualified surveyors in the most recent sitting. This demonstrates the high standard of support that Vickery Holman deliver in preparing candidates for their APCs which inspires me with confidence that I will be in a good position to qualify as a Chartered Surveyor in a few years’ time.
