Given my educational background, you would not have expected me to be working as a Building Surveyor, it was not until the 2021 lockdown where I was able to evaluate myself, I decided to undertake an MSc in Building Surveying. The interest comes from watching lots of Grand Designs and the hands on approach a building surveyor is required to take.
APA have provided me with the opportunity to work on a wide variety of projects, which helped me achieve my chartered status. This not only helps me gain a large amount of experience but also means the job doesn’t get boring… not to mention the regular staff and client outings!
I am an outdoorsy kind of person, I play hockey, enjoy skiing/snowboarding, and you’ll occasionally see me running a 5k around Hyde Park, I also enjoy attending music festivals and events.
I’m a Chartered Building Surveyor and came into the industry through a degree apprenticeship, which allowed me to gain practical experience while studying. Since then, I’ve worked across social housing, commercial property and heritage assets. I’ve always enjoyed understanding how buildings work and solving problems, so Building Surveying felt like a natural career choice.
The variety of work is what I enjoy most. Every project brings different challenges, whether that’s historic buildings, refurbishment works or technical surveying. The team is also a huge part of it, APA has a great culture, with a supportive and hardworking group of people who enjoy spending time together both in and out of the office.
I’m an outdoorsy person and enjoy anything that gets me outside. You’ll usually find me cycling, running or playing rugby, and I’m always looking for the next challenge to train for. I also enjoy spending time in and around the water, whether that’s SCUBA diving, sailing or surfing, and when I get the chance, travelling to new places and exploring the outdoors.
After spending the best part of a decade in NHS mental health services, and exploring my options, I decided to pursue a career in Building Surveying after becoming intrigued by how seemingly benign things can inadvertently compromise the structure and quality of buildings and from there one thing has led to another.
Working in a vibrant office with an even mixture of young and experienced professionals where I can get more involved in a diverse range of projects on various different types of buildings as I work to become a Chartered Surveyor.
Generally speaking, if you don’t find me on a football pitch pretending to be Andres Iniesta, you’ll generally find me in the gym working out or with a book in my hand.
Growing up I spent a lot of time around property with my dad which sparked my interest in the industry. While at school and deciding what route I wanted to go down, I completed work experience at a building surveying firm. This confirmed that it was the right career for me. I then went on to study Building Surveying at the University of Reading.
APA has a great culture and the team is really friendly and supportive as well as highly experienced and knowledgeable which makes it a great place to continue learning and developing as I continue working towards becoming chartered.
In my spare time I enjoy playing Gaelic football, running, walking my dog, travelling whenever I get the chance and spending time with friends and family.
My interest in building surveying grew from my background in interior design. while working on various projects, I realised that I was just as interested in how buildings functioned as I was in their internal design, I particularly enjoyed space planning and I wanted to gain a deeper understanding of building pathology. Building surveying felt like a natural progression, allowing me to combine my design experience with technical problem solving and a broader understanding of the built environment.
The welcoming culture of APA immediately stood out to me. As a graduate the opportunity to work across a wide variety of projects makes it the ideal place to grow my skills, they offer incredible APC support which will help me push forwards to achieving my chartered status.
In my spare time I enjoy being creative through my various projects and finding practical ways to improve areas around my house and garden. I enjoy reading, getting outdoors for walks, beach trips, attending music events and spending time with my family.
With over six years of experience in a busy people-facing role, I was looking to develop my skills and experience new challenges in a different field. APA offers opportunities to take on varied tasks and encourages learning which suits my new direction.
It’s very varied, which means I get to use my initiative and I’m able to develop and adapt my role. The team is very supportive of each other, I can get involved as much as possible and gain a full understanding of the work I’m part of.
I love sports and regularly coach Netball and other disciplines including athletics, football and gymnastics.
Whilst growing up the idea of working within the Built Environment always interested me, so when the concept was brought to me again by a teacher in Sixth Form I immediately knew it was something I should explore. During the first year of my degree, I studied BSc Real Estate to keep my options wide and to figure out what field of the industry interested me most. The real life and practical application which building surveying consists of was the main reason for my switch to BSc Building Surveying in which I am currently on my sandwich placement year with APA.
Still being a university student and new to the industry, APA has given me an exciting mix of working and learning opportunities. Working at APA I am exposed to the “ins and outs” of the industry and learn directly from those with years of experience; all whilst in a friendly and welcoming team.
During the week you will catch me in the gym and on the weekends going out with friends, playing football, golf or tennis and attending festivals.
