Joe Ellison – RICS Matrics Surveyor Awards Finalist.
It’s time for case study number three as we continue meeting the finalists in the Residential Property category of the RICS Matrics Surveyor Awards 2023. Joe Ellison (MRICS) is a Chartered Surveyor and Business Improvement Manager at Pinnacle Surveyors and told us all about his residential surveying career, from how he got started to becoming the surveyor he is today.
Joe qualified through the University College of Estate Management (UCEM) and says the day he officially became Chartered has been the highlight of his career so far, particularly as it was the same day he was also named a finalist in the British Mortgage Awards. Read on or download our Q&A with Joe and keep an eye out for more case studies from other finalists over the coming weeks. The RICS Matrics Surveyor Awards ceremony will take place on Friday 20th October at The Londoner, Leicester Square.
What was your background before choosing a career in residential surveying?
I was still quite young when I started my journey to become a surveyor. I was a Business Administration Assistant for my local council working within their property division prior to starting my studies. Whilst there I did an apprenticeship in Business Admin, but any further progression within my role was quite limited.
What made you consider a career as a surveyor?
I am actually a third generation surveyor, so I guess you could say it is in my blood. Both my dad and grandad were Mining Surveyors, with my dad moving over to residential surveying when I was young. It wasn’t a career I’d considered whilst at school, but when I felt like I needed to make a change and build a ‘proper’ career I decided to give it a go through shadowing and found that I really enjoyed it.
Which qualification route into residential surveying did you take and why?
I completed my studies through UCEM, firstly by completing a Diploma in Surveying Practice and then converting it to a BSc in Real Estate Management. I chose the degree route because it felt like the most affordable option at the time and provided me with knowledge of lots of different areas of surveying.
UCEM was the best fit for me as I wanted to study remotely and be able to continue working at the same time as studying. Also, being able to gain MRICS easily was always very important to me. I then sat my RICS APC interview a year after graduating from UCEM and the rest is history!
What has been the highlight of your residential surveying career so far?
I think the highlight moment has to be receiving the email to say I had qualified as a Chartered Surveyor. In that one moment, all of the work I had put into the past six years of studying and shadowing was suddenly worth it. I was also particularly lucky that, on the same day, I found out that I had been named as a finalist in the British Mortgage Awards within their Rising Star category, so it really was a day of celebration.
What do you love most about being a residential surveyor?
I love that every day is different. When I am out surveying, I am meeting different people and seeing different properties every single day. It really makes you realise how important that concept of ‘home’ is, and I think it is a privilege to be able to help guide people through the biggest purchases they will ever make.
Over the past two years I have also been completing an MBA with Nottingham Trent University, and I have particularly enjoyed finding ways for the business to work more innovatively and using my skills to help build and grow the business.
What advice would you give to anyone thinking of pursuing a residential surveying career?
I’d say give it a go because there is a role within surveying for everyone, whatever your skills are. There are also so many great routes into the profession so I’d suggest doing some research and speaking to as many people as possible before making a decision on which route to follow.
Regardless of which route you choose, be prepared for some hard work, but once you are fully qualified you certainly won’t regret it.
How does it feel to be a finalist in the RICS Matrics Surveyor Awards 2023?
I am delighted to have been named as a finalist at the RICS Matrics Surveyor Awards. I feel like I have worked extremely hard to get to be in the position I am today and being named as a finalist is a great way of being awarded for my efforts. I am slightly nervous as I am up against some well-known residential surveyors within the category, but overall I am looking forward to spending an evening celebrating the bright future of the profession with my fellow finalists.
If you’re interested in pursuing a residential surveying career, find out more about Sava’s vocational Diploma in Residential Surveying and Valuation. If you’d like to meet more of the finalists in the RICS Matrics Surveyor Awards 2023, take a look at our previous Q&A with James Quinn.