Aspiring Sheffield surveyor discusses finding employers, supporting new talent, and UKREiiF
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14 May 2026
Joshua Berry, a third-year quantity surveying student at Sheffield Hallam, is preparing to attend UKREiiF as a guest of RICS. He is also studying intently ahead of his final exams. This balancing act of maintaining intense academic work while grabbing every opportunity that could support a future career will be familiar for surveying students nationwide and beyond.
Peer support in university
Josh was selected to take up RICS’ UKREiiF youth ticket thanks to his dedication to supporting fellow students on campus. He established the university’s Built Environment Society as a resource for himself and his peers throughout their degrees. “I didn’t start out in surveying,” says Josh. “I began a sports coaching degree at another university, but quickly realised that it wasn’t right for me. It gave me an understanding, though, of some of the challenges I might face when starting a new course in a new place.
“I want the Built Environment Society to help students thrive at university. For me, this means providing opportunity to connect with each other, and to network and get to know potential employers.”
Student and employer connections
Josh says that for many students, lining up future employment and work placements is challenging. Sheffield Hallam introduces students to employers, and Josh – supported by the university – hopes to expand on those connections. “We know there are lots of employers out there, but getting to know them, understand them, and get a feel for where we’ll be well placed is difficult. My hope is that the Built Environment Society provides more connection between employers and students. I’d like students to be able to make more informed decisions about where they apply for roles, understanding what different employers are looking for and working toward.”
Josh continues: “I also want to see employers feel confident about the talent and potential of students. There is a nervousness in this economy, I think, that holds employers back from taking a punt on a short term placement.
“We consistently hear that there is a skills gap in the built environment, that new talent is sought after and needed, but it can be hard to align that knowledge with our experience. It’s difficult if, for example, you applied for placements in October and November and haven’t had any response by May. Building better relationships with employers can only help.”
Joshua Berry
The value of RICS in Yorkshire
For Josh, this connection with others is the best thing about RICS membership. “Matrics has been the most useful thing,” he says. Matrics, RICS early career community, is designed to support students, apprentices, trainees and those who are newly qualified (up to 10 years), as they move into the industry.
“Peer networking is brilliant, and the support is exactly where I need it – there are Matrics events at my university,” Josh continues. “I really value the opportunity to share insight with others who are in my position or have recent experience of it. There is a social and soft skills element to Matrics, too. A chance to develop people skills in a professional environment.”
Hopes for UKREiiF
Those skills will prove useful as Josh heads to UKREiiF, where RICS has programmed a series of high-profile sessions, roundtables and networking events, bringing together key voices from the built environment. That programme addresses the industry’s most pressing challenges and opportunities, from technology and skills to housing and sustainability, whilst championing the interests of our members so their voices remain front and centre.
“I was floored to be invited, it’s a privilege. I’m really looking forward to it. This is an opportunity for me to get a global view of the built environment and hear perspectives from leaders in several different fields. I’m very excited to learn from them and talk to them.”
Championing the profession
While Josh looks forward to hearing from leaders and changemakers in surveying, he hopes that the profile of surveying in the UK will continue to rise. “I was aware of surveying as a profession mainly because my dad is a real estate surveyor. It wasn’t until I attended a career day, though, that I realised how many different opportunities there are within the profession. I found the quantity surveyors really interesting and engaging.
“I studied business management and finance at college, and there is lots of crossover of skills with quantity surveying. Studying business is a popular option, but it doesn’t necessarily lead to a job. Quantity surveying has the edge in that you’re fully prepared for specific, in-demand roles. I’d like more people to be aware of the opportunities in surveying.”
