APC - The Importance of Obtaining Chartership Status with the RICS

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Adam Blasbery RICS joined Vextrix just under a year ago as a Senior Quantity Surveyor after completing his APC with the RICS. During his time at Vextrix he’s used his experience of the process to encourage and support others that are working towards their chartership. We asked him to give us an overview of what the APC involves, why other Quantity Surveyors should do it and if he has any advice for anyone considering taking on the challenge.

What is the APC?

The Assessment of Professional Competence is the process to obtain Chartership status with the RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors).

What does the Assessment of Professional Competence involve?

To enroll on the APC, you need to have a degree from a RICS accredited university, and once you have that, there are different routes you can take to qualification. There are two conventional routes. The first takes a year if you have five or more years of experience and the second takes two years for anyone with less than five years’ experience. The assessment confirms you are competent, and you meet the high standards of professionalism that you need to become a chartered quantity surveyor. The process is made up of a range of assessments across a mix of technical, professional practice, management, business and interpersonal skills.

Date:

26th January 2022

Why did you choose to do your APC?

Having decided on what I wanted to do for my career I worked hard and got my degree and then it just felt like a natural next step for me to want to achieve Chartership status with the RICS. After learning more about the process, I realised it was going to be a big commitment, but I really wanted to take on the challenge for my own development and for the opportunities it would unlock in my future career.

The process can be challenging, and it takes a genuine commitment to take the route to Chartership. I enrolled early in my career at Assistant level. Level 3 competencies have a clear focus on advising clients which was initially quite a tough learning curve. I started to think about every experience as teaching me something and that mindset helped me to keep driving to learn more. Sometimes you don’t realise it at the time but my early experiences were really important for me in my final assessment.

Why should other Quantity Surveyors do the APC?

The Assessment of Professional Competence is globally recognised so the skills you are learning are universal and you will have them for your whole career. It teaches about every aspect of being a Quantity Surveyor and it has taught me so much about my role on a day-to-day basis, how to develop myself and stay organised, the part I play in my role at Vextrix and the importance of relationships with my team and my clients. When you are actually in the process you are learning how to deliver industry best practices and this gives me confidence in everything I do. It also gives clients a guarantee that you are delivering to the correct standards, whether domestically or internationally and gives you opportunities to progress further in your career.

'From the moment I started the Assessment of Professional Competence I could see how important it was to be consistent and organised'

What challenges have you found in the APC process?

Understanding what is expected of you is a huge part of the process. From the moment I started the Assessment of Professional Competence I could see how important it was to be consistent and organised, keeping my diary up to date and putting my own processes in place to make sure I was on top of my continued professional development was key. Having the support of my team meant I was able to structure my learning in the right way around my day-to-day tasks, making sure I was always putting my training as a top priority.

What value does the APC add for our clients?

Our clients understand the overall value of a Chartership status with the RICS, the dedication and commitment to become recognised in the industry gives them a confidence in your skills, especially if you’re building new relationships. One of our guarantees at Vextrix is to leave our clients with a quiet mind and I think my training plays a part in delivering this. Clients can feel confident in your knowledge and skills, whether they are technical or ethical they know you have the knowledge to support your decisions, so they feel they are in safe hands and confident in your delivery.

How can companies support staff to complete their APC?

I think the key thing for anyone completing the Assessment of Professional Competence is to feel as though your employer understands what you are committed to and what those commitments mean. Structured training programmes, allowing you to plan studies around your day-to-day duties, regular meetings with supervisors and counsellors and support with your learning are all really important in making you feel you supported.

How has Vextrix encouraged you to support others who are taking on the APC?

Vextrix is a brilliant place to work if you’re training, they understand the importance of supporting members of the team who want to take on challenges like the Assessment of Professional Competence and how important this is in their success. What’s great for me personally is I am now able to support others taking on the APC. I recently had the opportunity to help one of our Senior Quantity Surveyors complete the final stages of her APC, I was so happy to support her and draw from my experience to offer advice to reassure and encourage her.

Vextrix has a unique atmosphere that encourages you to develop yourself but also encourages us all to support and help each other.

‘Having Adam to speak to and support me in the final stages of my Assessment of Professional Competence was such a huge benefit, he instantly understood what I needed because he had been through the same process and gave me confidence in my own knowledge and skills. I knew I could speak to him about anything because everyone at Vextrix is so happy to help each other succeed. Adam gave me really useful advice on preparing for my final assessment by undertaking mock interviews and Q&A sessions. In the future, I hope to help other members of the team in the same way he helped me.’

Sofia Joan Bautista MRICS – Senior Quantity Surveyor

Vextrix puts a high value on supporting members of the team who are going through the Assessment of Professional Competence and they know it is an achievement for the person and for the business and this follows through to everything you deliver together, which has a big impact on the experiences of our clients. At the moment there are seven members of the team working on professional qualifications, which I think is a reflection of the support and encouragement Vextrix gives to us and how important they see the continued professional development of the team.

What advice would you give others considering their APC from the lessons you have learnt?

Enrolling at the right time is key to what you will achieve. Take your time and understand the programme and the details of what you are going to be asked to do. Understand why this is so highly valued for clients and why it takes such commitment. When you take into account how much this process is going to impact your future career you know why you will need to challenge yourself to prove your skills. Be positive! Even though the process is challenging at times being enthusiastic about building your own skills is so important. Learn from everyone around you and take away as much as you can from every experience so you can use it in the future.

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APC – The Importance of Obtaining Chartership Status with the RICS