Becoming an accredited RICS surveyor and completing the Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) can lead to an immediate pay rise of around £6,000; it opens many doors within the surveying field.
The assessment process takes a minimum of two years for graduates – however, 35% of candidates do not pass their first time.
How can you maximise the chance of success, and achieve an accreditation that will forward your surveying career?
Research and Understand the APC Process
There’s a variety of specialisms for the APC, so understanding your chosen pathway is crucial in studying correctly and prioritising accurately.
Students can obtain free membership to the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, who provide endless knowledge and resources to assist in studying for the APC. You can find more information by clicking here.
Get Relevant Work Experience
There are three levels of assessment to the APC, and Levels 2 & 3 are about describing your experience and showing you can advise to a professional standard.
By securing a role within which ever specialty you’ve chosen, you can obtain crucial on-the-job experience that will be used to showcase your knowledge of the industry.
It’s vital to link your experience to project examples, so having a portfolio of case studies to draw from is invaluable.
Get an APC Counsellor
Often, surveying companies will provide you with a mentor to monitor your progress and assist where they can.
It’s important to stay in contact with your counsellor and go to them for support when feeling overwhelmed. This is a huge undertaking; using their guidance will make the entire process more manageable.
RICS themselves offer candidate support, and can provide mentors to guide you in the right direction. More information can be found here.
Create a Timetable for Revision
It’s important to schedule criteria methodically and allow for a breather. To complete the APC, you must:
- Submit a 3,000-word critical analysis essay
- Have 400 days practical experience
- Complete 96 hours of continuing professional development (CPD) per year
Alongside the other requirements, these add up.
There’s no use getting burned-out and not being able to perform at your best; relaxation and downtime are just as important as intense studying.
Show Commitment
The APC is no small task. If surveying is the career you’ve got in mind, then immerse yourself in it fully.
It’s okay to not pass the first time, too – failure is just another lesson to learn from.