Apprenticeships
Working in the Surveying Profession at the VOA
The VOA Surveying Profession is one of the main career anchors within the Government Property Profession (GPP) and encompasses anyone who is involved in property related activity in the VOA. Members of the profession therefore include colleagues involved in property research, inspection, and valuation along with more specialist roles such as building, quantity and mineral surveyors.
Property is at the heart of what we do and what connects us with property professionals across government. The Government Property Profession is a network of over 5,000 members with responsibility for a range of property-related activities across the Government Property Function.
You don’t have to hold a surveying qualification to be part of the VOA Surveying Profession or to be a member of GPP. Within the VOA and the wider profession there are learning, development and networking opportunities for all colleagues working in property roles, irrespective of grade or qualifications.
There are however lots of opportunities at the VOA to gain fully-funded Surveying accreditations and qualifications. This includes the Level 3 Surveying Technician apprenticeship which leads to Associate Membership of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the prestigious AssocRICS qualification. The RICS is a globally recognised professional body. We also offer the Level 6 Chartered Surveyor apprenticeship at BSc and MSc routes which is a high-quality programme of learning and assessments to achieve:
- BSc or MSc Real Estate
- MRICS accreditation via Assessment of Professional Competence (APC)
- Chartered Surveyor Level 6 Apprenticeship
Your apprenticeship will take place in one or more of our work streams where you will gain relevant experience and technical expertise. We will ensure you get the experience to be successful in your RICS Associate or MRICS pathway.
What to expect: Apprentice perspectives
The Level 3 Surveying Technician course is the first step in my career pathway to becoming a Chartered Surveyor and has been an excellent foundation for which to build a career in surveying, and progress within the Agency. The course covers a wide array of very interesting modules and goes hand in hand with the practical experience of working within the VOA.
This includes managing your own case load, making effective and fair decisions, inspecting non-domestic properties including offices, shops, and industrials to name a few. It also involves liaising with occupiers, agents, billing authorities and those within your team, attending CPD events and maintaining the rating list.
The apprenticeship scheme offered by the VOA is one I wish I knew about and applied for years ago!
A bit about me... after 31 years working at HMRC and a few years at the VOA, I applied for this apprenticeship because I like a challenge and wanted to show myself that I am not too old to do something different.
Initially I found the structure of learning different to how I expected. I assumed we would be sent textbooks or links to online textbooks and told read chapters one and two, but the course isn’t like that. It has a blended approach where we attend a workshop one week (usually in the morning), with a support session the following week. I then research online for more information about the topics covered. I’m making good use of the RICS Modus and journal articles.
There are also a plethora of useful videos on YouTube which I enjoy as most of them are under 20 minutes long and very interesting. Attending CPD events has been a great additional tool and helps with completing my assignments.
My top tip is… If you’re unable to do something, such as including photos in assignments, always ask your tutor/assessor if there is an alternative.
I’ve really enjoyed learning about… reinforced concrete, pre-stressed concrete, and water hammers to name a few!