The RICS Women in Construction Scholarship aims to support and champion talented professionals who are shaping the future of the built environment. This year, Victoria Clapp has successfully completed the RICS Diploma in Adjudication through the scholarship, marking a significant milestone in her development as both a Quantity Surveyor and an emerging voice in dispute resolution.
After completing the diploma, Victoria reflects on the experience, its impact on her career, and the importance of visibility for women and neurodiverse professionals within adjudication.
Now that you've completed the Diploma in Adjudication, what aspect of the learning journey had the biggest impact on you professionally or personally?
One of the biggest impacts for me professionally was developing a greater confidence in understanding the adjudication process and applying principles of law in my current role. As a QS working with contracts daily, the additional legal and dispute knowledge has been a huge benefit. Personally, it gave me a renewed sense of confidence in my own capability. The volume and complexity of the content at times felt daunting but completing it has shown me what I can achieve.
How has completing the diploma changed the way you approach disputes or contractual challenges in your current role?
The course helped me to look at disputes through a more analytical lens. It has helped me trust my professional judgement more and to navigate project issues with greater clarity. I now break issues down more methodically, testing the facts against the contract. It’s strengthened my ability to spot legal risks earlier, anticipate where disagreements may escalate, and provide clearer, more objective advice to clients and colleagues.
What does completing this programme through the Women in Construction Scholarship mean to you in the context of representation and diversity within the industry?
Completing the diploma through the Women in Construction Scholarship is something I’m incredibly proud of. It represents progress not just for me personally, but for visibility and representation in a space that is still heavily underrepresented by women. I wrote in my application paper ‘see it to be it’, referring to seeing people like you in a space means you’re more likely to believe it is achievable, and I hope it will help encourage others. I hope that by taking up opportunities like this, I can contribute in some way to normalising diversity within the profession and encourage others to pursue similar pathways. It also matters to me as a neurodiverse professional, because representation goes beyond gender, seeing all the different ways of thinking represented and valued in dispute resolution is important.
With the diploma now behind you, what are your next goals within dispute resolution or wider career development?
My focus now is on applying the skills gained to deliver stronger outcomes in my current projects, while continuing to build expertise in dispute resolution. I’d like to work on more complex disputes and deepen my knowledge, with the longer‑term ambition of potentially joining the RICS Panel of adjudicators in the future. Beyond that, I’m keen to continue to mentor others and help open pathways for more women entering the field.
If you are considering your own next steps in dispute resolution, you can learn more about the RICS Women in Construction Scholarship here.