James Bramley, Apprentice Rural Surveyor at StephensonsRural, shares how his apprenticeship at Harper Adams University is helping build the knowledge and experience needed for a career in rural surveying.
In my previous blog, I shared what a typical week looks like as an apprentice rural surveyor. This time, I wanted to talk a bit more about my apprenticeship scheme at Harper Adams University and how it’s supporting my role at StephensonsRural.
After graduating from Newcastle University with a degree in Agri-Business Management, I decided to pursue rural surveying. As my degree wasn’t RICS-accredited, the apprenticeship route made the most sense.
The January intake meant I could start straight away alongside work, completing the course over 18 months rather than waiting another academic year. The course is delivered in block weeks at Harper and leads to a master’s qualification, covering key areas of the work I am doing in practice and supporting my progression towards my Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors qualifications.
So far, the course has covered a wide range of modules, including Agricultural Tenancies, Compensation and Utilities, Estate Management Law, Land Tenure Systems, Rural Asset Valuation, Rural Estate Taxation, Sustainable Energy and Carbon Management, Research and Information Skills, Rural Land Use Policy and Management, Building Construction and Appraisal, and Planning Law and Policy, which I will be completing in May.
Applying learning in practice
The biggest benefit has been how closely the modules link to day-to-day work, with what I do in practice also helping with my assignments. Agricultural Tenancies has been particularly useful when dealing with Farm Business Tenancies and understanding the legal framework behind agreements.
Rural Asset Valuation and Building Construction and Appraisal have been particularly useful when inspecting properties and preparing valuation reports, improving my understanding of the key factors that drive or impacts value. Rural Land Use Policy and Management and Sustainable Energy and Carbon Management have also been relevant, especially with increasing focus on environmental schemes, renewable energy and wider land use decisions.
Compensation and Utilities has also been useful when looking at access, infrastructure and compensation matters, which are becoming more common in practice.
I still have some key assignments to complete, including a Rural Estate Taxation planning advisory report and a valuation report. Although both are based on fictional case studies, they closely reflect the day-to-day work I do, particularly with the new tax legislation affecting agriculture.
I am hoping to graduate in September, after which I will focus on progressing my RICS Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) and CAAV qualifications.
The apprenticeship has also given me the chance to meet other apprentices from across the country, build connections within the industry and share experiences from different firms.
We have also recently welcomed Amelia Thompson to StephensonsRural, and I would like to wish her the best of luck as she starts her four-year undergraduate apprenticeship at Harper Adams in September. It’s a great route into the profession, although balancing study alongside practical work in the office can be challenging at times.