This article was written for EG’s Starting Out in Real Estate supplement, click here to view the digital edition >>
From project managers to valuers; architects to engineers, the range of roles in the real estate sector is expansive. Here we feature a range of professionals working in different roles and sectors and at different stages of their career, who discuss their journeys into real estate, the skill sets needed for their role, what they do day to day and, crucially, what they love about the industry…
Ben Brownlie, graduate building surveyor, Innes England
I started playing rugby at the age of five and it came to dominate my life. I absolutely loved it. When I was given a full-time contract with Nottingham Rugby Club straight from university, I thought that was my future career mapped out.
But I had to rethink when Covid hit. The club model changed from full-time to part-time and I needed another job because playing rugby wasn’t financially viable. I had never considered surveying before but I had bought and renovated a house and enjoyed the process, so started to think about real estate as a career.
I began as a party wall surveyor and worked for two years while also studying for a distance MSc in building surveying through Northumbria University. I was also playing semi-professional rugby for Cambridge RUFC in National League 1, then took the opportunity to join Innes England in Nottingham as a graduate building surveyor.
I work within the building consultancy team, which provides technical advice to landlord and tenant clients to assist with all aspects of owning, occupying, maintaining, refurbishing and developing commercial property.
I enjoy site visits and the problem-solving that’s involved. I have recently been visiting a local university to carry out reinstatement cost assessments for insurance purposes for all the buildings in its property portfolio. This will provide the client with valuable information to ensure that its buildings are insured at the appropriate level.
The work involves undertaking inspections of the buildings, taking site notes and photographs and considering any additional factors that may affect the rebuilding of the property. We use the information to work out the reinstatement value for each building and prepare a report detailing our recommendations.
No two days are the same. One day I can be undertaking project management duties overseeing refurbishment works for a care home provider, the next day dealing with party wall and neighbourly matters.
The role regularly involves interacting with other industry professionals such as architects, engineers, solicitors and contractors, which allows you to meet a range of interesting people. It can be fast-paced with a lot going on at the same time but it’s a great feeling to finish a job successfully and provide a positive outcome for the client.
This all feeds into my training to become a chartered surveyor. I need two years’ practical experience before I can take the APC and hope to sit my final assessment in 2024.
Becoming fully qualified will be rewarding and open up further opportunities for my career. I’m particularly interested in how our work can influence the drive towards net zero and enhance sustainability within the built environment.
Fortunately, I have been able to continue playing rugby while beginning my career in surveying. I scored a try in the final game of last season to help Cambridge win promotion to the Championship for the first time, which was a fantastic feeling.
My working life now might not be what I originally planned, but it has definitely worked out for the better. I knew that I couldn’t play rugby forever, so being given the opportunity to transition into surveying when I did was a blessing in disguise. It’s an exciting industry to be a part of.
What I enjoy about the role
- It’s practical, gets you out and about and has a strong technical element
- It’s great to be part of a team
- Meeting new people has helped improve my communication skills
- I enjoy the variety – no two days are the same
Top tips:
- Be enthusiastic and eager to learn
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions – everyone was in the same boat once
- Do your research and don’t be afraid to go for it
Aom Butreewong, apprentice building surveyor, Hollis
As a level 6 building surveying apprentice, no day is ever the same. However, a few things are always consistent: it’s exciting, interesting and varied, with many opportunities to stretch myself and learn.
The funny thing about my journey into real estate is that I never expected it to be the career for me. My school was fortunate enough to have a separate careers adviser who sent me an invitation to attend the Pathways to Property summer school. While working in property wasn’t in my career plan, the course was fully funded so I decided to give it a go and it turned out to be the best thing I ever did. The summer school experience was incredible. I met so many friends, spoke to experts in the field and forged a network of connections, which opened my eyes to the vast and varied career opportunities.
Pathways to Property introduced me to one of its partners: real estate consultancy, Hollis. Through talking to the firm about its early careers programmes, I became confident about the apprenticeship scheme. I wanted to get going in the industry quickly but I was aware that a university qualification would help me go further, so an apprenticeship was the perfect choice.
I quickly learned to manage my time, balancing four days of work with one day of studying. While it’s a busy role meeting work deadlines and keeping up with university duties (I am studying for a building surveying degree and working on my APC chartership with the RICS), being in the working world has allowed me to expand my skills and learn new services that I wouldn’t be exposed to being solely at university. For example, I have learnt to operate an H360 camera to undertake site inspections and started the ESG BREEAM training.
Aside from learning innovative new processes, my day-to-day work involves undertaking building surveys and working within our dilapidations service. I attend sites with our clients, whether they be asset managers or heads of sectors, and talk through their projects with them. I have learnt to write detailed reports and have recently been negotiating dilapidations claims up to £150,000. I have been given great responsibility through my apprenticeship and am enjoying every step.
A day in my life as a building surveyor could involve heading to site, presenting to schools on the pathways available in real estate, or promoting the incredible mission of LandAid, the property industry’s charity. There are so many avenues to explore, whether that be different services or sectors, and the opportunities are endless. If you are considering alternatives to the traditional university route, I couldn’t recommend real estate apprenticeships enough. I’ll finish my degree already having years of work experience. Is that not a win-win?!
Suited to
- Those who enjoy a busy and dynamic life
- Those who can manage their time efficiently
- People who enjoy learning and are willing to develop skills across a variety of services and technology
Top tip: Go for it! Take every opportunity you can and do your research. With hard work, you’ll get the most out of your apprenticeship and will be so glad you went for it.
View more early career content at EG’s Evolve & Grow hub
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