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Graduate surveyor Bradley Plummer-Darling has recently been awarded the RICS South West Prize and the Kendall Kingscott Prize for best performance during his degree
What work did you undertake during your studies and what were the judges particularly impressed with?
My degree at the University of the West of England was module based, and aimed to develop knowledge fundamental to practice as a building surveyor.
The course therefore covered a wide variety of subjects from building construction, design and defect analysis through to law and economics.
Both the Kendall Kingscott prize and the RICS South West prize were awarded for best performance over the duration of the course, which is obviously a huge achievement and very gratifying.
I was lucky that the course suited me and I took to all the subjects well, but I have to admit there were some late nights of reading involved!
What made you decide on a career in building surveying?
I have been in the construction industry now for seven years. At 17 I undertook an apprenticeship with a local sub-contractor which specialises in cornice, cove and artexing.
Although most of this work was new-build, I particularly enjoyed the jobs involving existing buildings, particularly historic buildings, as the projects were always unique and interesting. After three years I felt I could perhaps further myself, and started to look into further education.
I knew I wanted a career in property and construction, and building surveying appealed to me because of the primary focus on existing buildings, and more particularly their refurbishment and re-use.
I also liked the idea of managing projects and being an integral member of a project team. I’m glad to say building surveying satisfies these aspirations, and is more interesting and varied than I could have hoped for.
How helpful has your university been during your studies? Are careers in surveying promoted enough to school leavers/university undergraduates?
I feel that my course has prepared me very well for a career in building surveying. I undertook a sandwich degree, whereby work experience formed part of my learning, which for me consisted of a placement year at Tuffin Ferraby Taylor LLP in London.
The first two years at university taught me the things I needed to know to succeed in the placement year, and work experience helped me to achieve the results I was looking for in my final year at university.
I have learned that work experience and private study are not mutually exclusive – they reinforce one another and this is something I hope to carry forward into my career.
Like many people, I fell into surveying by chance really. There is definitely scope to entice more people into the profession if necessary – non-cognate undergraduates who are highly adaptable and learn fast bring much to the industry and should particularly be targeted.
Having already completed a sandwich year with TFT, you are starting work with the firm next month. What are your hopes for 2010?
Personally, 2010 will be about gaining valuable experience and working towards the Assessment of Professional Competence.
As I used my placement year to record one year of structured training, I’m looking forward to achieving the required competencies as quickly as possible and becoming a full RICS member.
Being a graduate surveyor will enable me to take on more responsibility on projects and instructions and I’m looking forward to those challenges. Aside from that, I hope England win the World Cup!
How important is the RICS to you?
Ever since I entered the profession I have been aware of the importance of the RICS, both in what it does and what it represents.
It impacted on my choice of university, in that I wanted a course that was accredited, as well as my search for employment, as I wanted to work for a company that had a comprehensive structured training programme and considerable experience in putting graduates through the APC.
Becoming a chartered surveyor is a key career milestone and means that you have reached the high standard that the RICS demands from its members.
What would be your ‘dream project’ to work on, either past or present?
I would have loved to have been involved in the rebuilding of Europe after the Second World War, London perhaps, but anywhere from Paris to Moscow or Berlin!
At that time there must have been such a feeling of hope and inspiration when the clean-up finally began and buildings were being built rather than destroyed.
