PERSONAL PROFILE

University: Kingston University - Real Estate Management BSc (hons) 

Pathway: Surveying 

Team: property management, London 

Having decided that I would like a career in surveying, I weighed up the relative merits of full time university versus an apprenticeship scheme and quickly came to the conclusion that the wealth of experience gained through 'on the job' training would not only be beneficial to me, but could well be a deciding factor for future employers to consider.

To this end, I approached the Chartered Surveyors Training Trust (CSTT) once I had completed my A Levels and was thrilled to gain an apprenticeship - I am now two years into the scheme and have completed a Level 3 BTEC (Construction & the Built Environment) and an NVQ Diploma (Surveying, Property & Maintenance). I have just submitted my application to become an Associate RICS member and will be commencing my degree in Real Estate Management in September. The first two years have been fantastic, especially being able to utilise newly learnt skills in real, practical situations for Savills. Moreover, the surveying world is extremely sociable and I have made many new friends at work and college with whom I can share my experiences.

Of course, it's not all a walk in the park - balancing my studies with the day to day pressures of working life can be tricky but when I consider what I will have achieved once I finally have the MRICS qualification and the experience I will have amassed in getting there, it will all be worth it.