How can we inspire the next generation of surveyors?

In an era where image is everything and the media (or social media) has the power to showcase careers, the surveying industry lacks visibility and understanding. “Honestly, the perception is narrow,” says Alison Cosa FRICS, associate vice president, property management at Realty Income. “When people hear ‘surveying,’ they picture someone turning up with a clipboard to value a house.”

Even now, Cosa still explains to friends her role involves managing £12bn of assets across Europe and influencing how spaces are designed and used. 

With persistent recruitment issues, the industry wants to showcase all it stands for: regeneration, climate action, placemaking, building stronger communities, and creating a better life for people. Simply put, it needs to get the message out about its importance, and many disciplines. Because, says Nick McKeogh, chief executive of New London Architecture (NLA), “the built environment is an economic powerhouse hiding in plain sight, contributing a quarter of Great Britain’s total gross value added (GVA) and employing 3.8m people.”

That could be through media campaigns, further engagement with schools or government intervention to recognise the built environment as a sector – as it did in the 1980s when the financial services professions united and were put at the heart of the UK’s growth strategy. “This is so we can unlock the visibility, skills pipeline and investment required to inspire the next generation,” says McKeogh.

NLA’s research shows fewer than one in 10 young people recognise the term ‘built environment'. Knight is incredulous about the dearth of knowledge for the sector: “It is surprising because everybody interacts with property and the built and natural environment every day.” Yet this, he says, “is taken for granted and is so ubiquitous people do not think of it as a place to forge a career.”

Sunny-Thomas Obasuyi MRICS, associate partner at HartDixon, says: “Better visibility directly impacts talent pipeline and sector sustainability.” He believes pushing the sector’s image is critical for bringing in the younger generations, given RICS data showing recruitment challenges. Young people cannot choose careers they do not know exist. 

Attempts are being made on this front. Savills, like other companies, have initiatives underway that include outreach programmes in schools. Pathways to Property, launched in 2012, is another. Led by the Reading Real Estate Foundation at Henley Business School at the University of Reading, it is supported by the industry and reaches out to young people from a variety of backgrounds to consider a career in property. It raises awareness of the numerous career types that are possible in the sector. 

RICS has several initiatives including the Inspire programme, where RICS advocates engage with primary and secondary schools. The RICS Matrics network supports students and those early in their careers, while Inspired to Hired connects built environment organisations with community-led programmes that nurture emerging talent.

But more needs to be done. “The way we educate and maintain the standards of practice needs a fundamental reset and at RICS we are spending many hours thinking about how this will work,” says Nick Maclean FRICS, President of RICS. 

Maclean says it should be done in conjunction with employers, academia and new professionals to ensure the profession attracts and retains the highest quality of new entrants available – and not just graduates.

Jordanne Dunn MRICS, senior building surveyor at Savills, agrees. Recognising there are “some great” initiatives already underway, and growing industry collaboration, Dunn says: “Efforts can still feel fragmented.” She believes a unified non-affiliated media campaign, like those promoting careers in defence, healthcare, education, or law, “could help raise awareness and spark interest in a more consistent and impactful way.”

McKeogh adds, if the sector has an image problem, “it’s because we haven’t told our story with one voice”. The question is who would be in control of any unified campaign.  

Maclean says RICS would “absolutely” take up the mantle, but he adds, “best practice needs deep thought, good and continuously evolving training and, from time to time, strong regulation to avoid a small number of bad practitioners tarnishing the whole sector.”

Calls for a holistic approach grow louder. There would be “real help in consolidating into one voice,” says Knight. “It is obviously easier to understand rather than [giving out] mixed messages.”

Organisations have brought some parts of the sector together, but most exist within their own bubble of surveying, architecture or construction, rather than straddling the whole built environment. The Property Industry Alliance was formed in 2006 to present a blended view of the industry, and has seven bodies as members, including RICS, British Property Federation, Association of Real Estate Funds, and Investment Property Forum. 

These latter three have joined forces with the launch in January of Real Estate: UK. Its mission is “to be is to be the champion and authoritative convenor and voice of UK real estate.” This includes working on its image. 

“It will be fundamental,” says BPF chief executive, Melanie Leech, adding, that Real Estate: UK, “has an aspiration for what it wants to be, but it is going to, and wants to, work very closely with other industry organisations. That is absolutely part of the vision.”  

There is clearly a lot of work to be done. But the positives are both the recognition that something should happen within the industry, and the efforts to bring the myriad factions together to ensure the sector improves its reach and attractiveness to the next generation.

If it does not, there could be dire consequences, as Cosa says: “This is not just about polishing up PR; it’s about survival. If we don’t make surveying visible and appealing, recruitment will stagnate, diversity will suffer, and we’ll lose the talent pipeline we need.”