Assistant Building Surveyor Review

My role primarily involved undertaking stock condition surveys as well as structural surveys for housing associations and councils up and down the country. Quality checking freelance surveyors surveys to ensure company wide accuracy. Administrative work such as survey counters, HHSRS tracking and file slimming were also involved in the role.

At MDA you can be given a lot of responsibility if you are willing to put in the work and prove your value. Managing projects under the supervision of your project manager is an invaluable facet of experience which you may not get at other placements. It allows you to fine tune your ability to plan, as well as deal with clients.

I have developed my understanding of building pathology. Built up a deep knowledge of stock condition/structural surveys and why they are undertaken. The importance of recognising and combatting HHSRS hazards when working on site. I have also built up a bank of experience which has helped me move forward with my RICS journey of becoming chartered.

At the start of my placement I went under a rigorous training program which saw me learn from both my project managers as well as freelance surveys who have over 40 years in the field. Building a wealth of knowledge and experience quickly is not uncommon at MDA. I never felt as though I couldn’t get guidance from my managers or peers.

The culture at MDA is a relaxed but productive one. Within the team we often shared a lot of camaraderie on a daily basis, which definitely helped when joining, however this didn’t impact on the teams’ productivity. Removing any barriers was essential as I felt a lot more comfortable speaking with my managers about aspects that I didn’t understand.

I spent 12 months at MDA and although it was hard work, it was also a very rewarding experience. I believe I am a lot more prepared for my career after university.

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