Paul Callaghan features on the current season of Alan Sugar's The Apprentice on BBC 1. He talked about his motivation and career aspirations to RICS Recruit.
Who is your current employer, what is your job title, your current salary and where is your office based?
“EC Harris, I work at ECHQ their brand new building at Kings Cross. My job title is Assistant Surveyor, I am a non-cognate, so work four days a week and do one day a week at university, studying for an MSc in Building Surveying.”
What got you interested in surveying?
“When I left the Army I worked for a small engineering company that makes and sells temporary buildings. Much of my work was with estate managers and I was very interested by their job roles. I also lived in Brussels for five years and was exposed to the whole art deco movement and the sheer beauty of the architecture over there.
“So a technical back ground (Engineering Physics Degree), an entrepreneurial slant (I was in sales for the engineering firm) and an interest in buildings and architecture led me to conclude that I should re-train as a surveyor.”
Which university did you attend, what course did you study?
“I attended Loughborough University and studied Engineering Physics. I also completed the commissioning course at Sandhurst Royal Military Academy. I am currently studying a part-time master’s degree at London Southbank University.”
What do you enjoy most about your career in surveying?
“What we do is real and has long lasting effects on the occupants of a building and its surrounding environment. We are able to talk with authority about our area of expertise and we produce tangible physical results for clients. Most highly qualified grads will seek a career in management consultancy where it is difficult to quantify success, at the end of a surveying project there are tangible results that add value to our clients and justifies our fees!”
What interesting projects have you been involved in while as surveyor?
“My project team is current focused around the court service. We are putting a proposal together to improve a large court site with significant historical interest. The project involves the renovation of a historic building, demolition of a 70’s extension block, the gutting and fitting out of an 80’s block including moving all of the M and E equipment onto the roof, the provision of a temporary court facility, building of a two storey car park and a new court building. This is a massive project and the range of skills that my team are required to bring to it is enormous, and we must do all of this whilst still maintaining the operation of the existing facility. It is challenges like this that keep the job fresh and engaging.
Have you worked on any international projects or obtained any overseas travel experience?
“I travelled extensively with the Army, sometimes to hot, sandy and dangerous places! Watching the re-birth of a country after years of tyranny from behind the sights of a rifle is an interesting experience. I dealt daily with contractors providing temporary power facilities, rebuilding schools and repairing infrastructure. I’d like to be involved in post-conflict property speculation which may not even be an industry at the moment! In a de-stabilised region the challenges are enormous but so potentially are the rewards.”
What are your future career ambitions?
“At the moment I am fixated on gaining my MSc and getting through the APC. I am fortunate in that I work for a company with global reach that nurtures and develops talent, I intend to be part of EC Harris’s future and I would like part of that time to be spent abroad.”
How do you balance working and studying for your APC? “Doing an MSc and the APC along with a full time job involves substantial commitment. I work long hours during the week to finish my university work and APC preparation but always leave my weekends clear. I don’t mind working past midnight during the week knowing that I have a clear weekend to look forward to. And if that weekend involves jumping with my parachute display team or going on exercise with my TA unit so much the better.”
What does RICS mean to you?
“RICS is THE mark of a property professional. Now I am into my second career I recognise the value of a professional qualification that will open doors to me in the property world, across the globe. The scope of work available to surveyors is so broad that it almost isn’t a specialism! MRICS to me means credibility and boundless opportunity.”
What are the biggest challenges you have faced in the property profession so far?
“The greatest challenge to anyone leaving university or any other career and deciding upon a career path, is being sure that you are doing the right thing! It is something that you can take advice on, but ultimately only you can decide what it is that you want to do. One of the great things about the surveying profession is its variety, so even though training as a surveyor does make you a specialist, the range of work available to you is still massive. The decision to take a large pay cut and retrain, was not an easy one to make, but I am confident the rewards in the long term will pay off.
What are your top five tips for success?
Know what you want (have a goal)
Find out how to get it
Make a plan to get it
Stick to the plan (even though you may waver at times)
Aggressively pursue your goal
For more on finding a career in Building Surveying go to RICS recruit
