The journey from entry into the property profession to becoming a qualified surveyor requires a commitment to learning which goes beyond the study books.
“When you become a surveyor, a lot of the learning process via the APC route is done through experience and the building up of a case study to demonstrate competence.
“We are lucky to have several APC assessors amongst our ranks, so we can support our APC students throughout their qualification using our knowledge and experience to reinforce their learning at work through mentoring, offering advice on everything from their portfolios through to interview support for their assessment,” added Tanya.
Another vital component in supporting the future of the building surveying profession is the apprenticeship route, which is open to people of all ages.
This career route allows people to learn and gain a qualification, whilst working, offering a different route through to formal qualification.
Apprentice, Becca Houghton, who joined the Vail Williams in 2019, said:
“After finishing my A levels, I knew the traditional university route wasn’t for me. The apprentice role at Vail Williams has given me the opportunity to kick-start my career, whilst still being able to undertake the qualifications I need to progress and grow in a way that suits me.”
Of course, the careers we start out with won’t always be the careers that we retire from, and one way in which we can create the future, is by supporting the lifelong learning of our people, through the pivoting of careers and the upskilling of our people – whether they are surveyors or part of our wider support team.
Our People Development Managers are here to support our staff to achieve their career goals as the primary focus, enabling us to improve internal mobility within the business, and retain our talented workforce.
“That’s exactly what Vail Williams did for me when I wanted to move from Regional Facilities Management to focus on developing my expertise in Learning and Development. The firm took time to understand what I wanted from my career, and together, we developed a mutually beneficial role which would allow me to continue my career growth,” added Tanya.
By embracing the concept of lifelong learning, we open up opportunities for career growth which, at Vail Williams, can take you from apprentice or graduate, right through to Regional Managing Partner, as Danny George, Regional Managing Partner for our Gatwick region, can attest.
Danny joined in 1998 and, after completing his degree in Estate Management in 2009 and becoming chartered in 2014, he was promoted to Partner in 2018 and was invited to join the LLP in 2022. Throughout this time, he held additional responsibilities including Head of Business Rates in 2019 and Regional Managing Partner in 2020.
In short, it is through our learning and development philosophy that we:
- Ensure that we continue to promote a compelling, collaborative and innovative working environment
- Infuse knowledge throughout the team
- Improve opportunities for succession; and most importantly
- Deliver the best advice for our clients
As we celebrate this Learning at Work Week, we take the opportunity to pause and to reflect on the role we play not only in ‘creating the future’ of the building surveying profession, but in helping to cement the career success of the people within it – both within our doors, and as our people move beyond them.
