100% pass rate (again!) for our AssocRICS Trainees

We’re delighted to announce that after comprehensive training and a final submission to the RICS in July 2020, all 20 of our latest cohort of Trainee AssocRICS surveyors have passed – a 100% pass rate (once again)! 

We caught up with Andy McIvor, Senior Technical Partner (Learning and Development) at e.surv, to find out more about this amazing success.

What would you like to say to the newly qualified Trainees?

Congratulations to all of our newly qualified AssocRICS surveyors! We couldn’t be prouder of your achievements, well done!

Your hard work and commitment during this unprecedented time has been second to none.  

I’d also like to thank our Mentors, Field Managers, the rest of our Learning and Development Team (especially our Technical Trainers: Chris Kenton, Kevan Dean and John Wheatley) and everyone else who has supported our Trainees throughout. This fantastic success wouldn’t have been possible without your tenacity and support.

This isn’t the first time that 100% of our Trainees have passed, is it?

No, all of our Trainee surveyors who made their final submissions to the RICS in October 2019 also passed. Our mix of online and classroom-based training, on-the-job experience and our impressive support network is clearly a recipe for success.

For those of us who don’t know, what did our Trainees have to do for their submission to the RICS?

Trainees have to produce a 5,500-word written summary of their experience as a Trainee surveyor. This includes demonstrating the level of knowledge and understanding required by the RICS in a number of key technical and mandatory competencies, such as building pathology and valuation, as well as producing a 2,500-word case study of a property they have inspected (independent of their Mentors).

And, how long was their Trainee journey?

Most of our Trainees started their AssocRICS journey with us in Summer 2019 (some a bit earlier and some a little later). Therefore, on average, the process has taken about 12 months … and, we’ve had a pandemic to contend with!

Talking of pandemics, what specific challenges did COVID bring?

Trainees had to be placed on furlough leave in the critical few months prior to the RICS submission window opening. This, along with social distancing, meant that they were no longer able to shadow their mentors and had to select a case study from the stock of properties they had previously inspected. Thankfully, each was able to provide a case study that demonstrated enough building pathology knowledge to satisfy the panel of RICS assessors!

Also, with our Trainers on furlough leave too, understandably, we couldn’t provide our usual high level of support.

So, does this result mean our new AssocRICS Surveyors will now be able to go out “on the ladders”?

Nearly! Following a successful submission to the RICS, the Trainees then have to complete a competency interview with our Risk and Governance Team to assess their technical knowledge. They also complete a competency test inspection to assess their understanding of building pathology, valuation and lender requirements.

Are you interested in becoming a residential Chartered Surveyor?

Here at e.surv Chartered Surveyors, our Trainees learn through a combination of “on the job” experience and classroom-based training. Learn more here: https://www.esurv.co.uk/training/