Careful preparation sees apprentice through exam and interview

In the six months since my previous article, I have been completing my degree apprenticeship in building control while working for a registered building control approver and studying with the University of the Built Environment, formerly known as the University College of Estate Management.

During this period, I have been focusing on revision and training exercises to ensure I am in the best position to complete my end-point assessment (EPA), which is the final stage of a building control surveyor degree apprenticeship.

I have also attended numerous mock interviews and exams, led by my organisation's learning and development team. The former have allowed me to rehearse answering challenging technical questions and scenarios in an interview setting with building control professionals, while the latter have enabled me to practise exam-style questions in test conditions. I found these training exercises extremely useful, and the mock interviews improved my confidence drastically.

In my previous article, I discussed the completion of my degree coursework and modules as I approach the final stages of my apprenticeship. What I have learnt and produced for these has built the foundation of knowledge I need to complete the EPA.

The questions were based on the Approved Documents, relevant legislation and British Standards, and entailed assessing plans against these. I enjoyed the process of analysing the drawings and crafting my answers according to the applicable requirements, as this is something I do daily in my role for plan assessments.

The exam gave me an opportunity to demonstrate my knowledge and understanding of the Building Regulations and how I can apply these in building control scenarios, using both my practical and academic experience.

After the exam, I began to prepare for the professional interview. As well as the mock interviews, my preparation involved exercises such as watching technical videos, creating revision posters, and attending training sessions.

I had submitted my portfolio in December 2024, which comprised reports of five building control projects I had contributed to in my role, in both plan checking and site inspection, and a detailed discussion of how I demonstrated and developed the knowledge, skills and behaviours required for the apprenticeship..

I chose a variety of projects to include in my portfolio to show the wide range of experience I have gained. These included both domestic and commercial projects such as new dwellings and retail and office fit-outs.

I included examples that I felt demonstrated my knowledge and ability well, such as when I had identified contraventions of the Building Regulations, the process I followed to deal with these, and why. This not only highlighted my skills in assessing building plans and work for compliance, but also my ability to follow and implement relevant legislation, which is key to the role of a registered building inspector.

In March I had my interview, which consisted of technical questions relating to the projects I had covered in my logbook, and questions assessing my broader knowledge and experience based on my role in building control.

Thanks to my revision and the mock interview my organisation had provided, I felt confident and positive when answering the panel's questions and that I attested my competence successfully.

While the past four-and-a-half years have been challenging and demanding at times – studying in conjunction with working full time – I am extremely grateful for the opportunities I have been given and the lessons I have learnt from my apprenticeship. The knowledge, skills, and behaviours I have gained will stick with me throughout my career.

I am very much looking forward to attending graduation with fellow students and colleagues in the summer and celebrating our success.