In this solo episode of This Is Surveying called “My Take”, I talk about something I see across the whole profession. Surveying is still largely invisible to the public, to young people choosing careers, and even to some of the industries that rely on us. I share my own story, why I stepped away from qualifying as a residential surveyor to build Surveyors UK and The Surveying Room, and how this podcast is part of making surveyors visible and valued.
In this episode
What we cover
- Why can most people describe what a solicitor or architect does, but not a surveyor
- How my experience training as a residential surveyor during COVID exposed the visibility gap
- The “Gandalf in tweed” moment that nearly put me off surveying at school
- Why I believe the surveying profession is at a crossroads, with an ageing workforce and course closures in areas like building surveying and geospatial
- The role of AI, reforms to buying and selling, and low public awareness in shaping the future of surveying
- How a Facebook student community of over 3,000 surveyors showed there was demand for something bigger
- The silos between residential, QS, geospatial and other specialisms, and the shared issues of isolation, value, and diversity
- Why I chose to focus on building Surveyors UK and The Surveying Room instead of finishing my residential surveying qualification
- What This Is Surveying is here to do, for both people inside the profession and those outside looking in
- An invitation to join The Surveying Room and to be a guest on the podcast
- Archetypes, social housing providers and why surveyors are ideal for first-in-door surveys
- Net zero, carbon capture, Awaab’s Law and health impacts from damp and mould
- Training routes, bootcamps and practical first steps for surveyors and students
Useful links
- Connect with Nina Young on LinkedIn
- Join Surveyors UK & The Surveying Room
- Email info@surveyors-uk.com about becoming a guest
You can also support the podcast by subscribing in your favourite podcast app, leaving a review, and sharing this episode with someone who needs to hear it.
If you want to connect with surveyors across the UK and keep up with the profession, join The Surveying Room. It is free to join and open to all types of surveyors, students, and professionals who work with them. Register for Surveyors UK.
Connect with me – Nina Young on LinkedIn