A Spotlight on the Latest KK Academy Qualifiers

We recently had the pleasure of speaking with our latest KK employees who have successfully achieved their Chartership. Esme Wakefield and Sam Forman have both been Chartered through the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), while Josh Dark has earned his Chartership through the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), and Xavier Gaida through the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT).

Training is at the core of our culture, but you don’t have to just take our word for it. We are proud of the fact that KK has a first-time pass rate of 87.8% over the past decade. This achievement is a testament to the hard work of our team and the mentors who go above and beyond to create a supportive environment, dedicating their time to prepare candidates for success.

We're thrilled to shine a light on our talented team members, giving you the opportunity to hear directly from them about their experiences within the KK Academy and what it means to be part of our community…

What led you to pursue Chartership with KK?

Esme explains how she joined KK in April 2022 as an Assistant Building Surveyor, eager to pursue her Chartership. From the very beginning, her line manager encouraged her to start her Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) right away. A few months later, she began collating her diary. She initially worked on healthcare-based projects, which helped her connect with clients while conducting surveys on-site and drafting specifications. She was involved in smaller projects from the outset, which provided the variety necessary to fulfil her APC competencies.

Josh recalls starting out by completing RIBA PEDR sheets to document his practical experience, working towards the minimum 24 months required for qualification. He then enrolled in the Professional Practice and Management in Architecture (Part 3) course at UWE. This programme included coursework submissions on various professional topics, a case study on a recent project, and a career evaluation. The course culminated in a professional Interview, which he successfully passed, allowing him to register as an Architect with the ARB.

Sam had a less traditional journey which began when he graduated in 2014 from the University of the West of England with a BA (Hons) in Business with Law. He described how he naturally transitioned into construction by working with a small local contractor. Over five years on-site, he developed a passion for construction and the built environment. During this period, he learned about building surveying from a friend, bandmate and long-standing KK colleague, Will Squire, who was navigating his own APC process at the time. After several conversations with Will during band practice, he applied to KK for a week of work experience. During this time, he closely collaborated with his future APC Mentor, Tim Clark, who provided valuable insights into the role of a building surveyor.

Xavier joined KK in 2022 after a year at a previous practice, mainly focusing on issuing technical packs and doing small parts of sketchwork and planning. His role grew organically over time, and about a year after joining, he began working on larger projects, including some within the education sector, which gave him exposure and encouraged him to ask questions. He recalls how he began actively seeking out answers and putting himself out there, feeding all this experience into his application, which provided a solid basis for demonstrating his engagement with the process.

Can you share some of the most challenging aspects of the process?

For Sam, it was somewhat challenging with the timing of big life events happening simultaneously. He explains that when he enrolled as an RICS APC candidate and began his structured training with the goal of sitting the final assessment in 2023, he was fortunate enough to become a father. While this incredible life event presented challenges to his APC preparation, once he acclimatised to his new role as a parent, his focus on becoming Chartered returned. Meanwhile, Josh shares how the coursework submissions during the first part of the Part 3 course were particularly challenging due to topics he had no previous knowledge or experience in. They all agree that it was partly a balancing act, highlighted by Xavier, who discusses how engaging with the material as often as possible and having the discipline to stay on top of it regularly was crucial. If he hadn't focused on setting deadlines, it wouldn't have been possible; he always kept it in mind and set Chartership as a serious goal.

How did KK support you throughout your journey?

All four share their positive experiences with KK supporting them through their journeys, whether from a company level or individuals going out of their way. Esme describes how her manager and mentor always made it clear from the outset that he was there to support her through the APC and workload. If she needed more experience in a specific area, they would look at facilitating that. She was also given study days off by KK, which she took towards the end, especially during challenging projects, allowing herself a break. The open-door policy enabled her to speak to people throughout, creating a supportive approach that helped her break things down to a manageable level. Similarly, Sam says that KK provided unwavering support in his journey towards Chartered Surveyor status. He says that the office environment at KK fosters continuous learning, with intriguing building pathology issues and potential design solutions frequently discussed and debated. Xavier reinforces the importance of having supportive colleagues at KK who are happy to answer questions and share their own experiences. Josh also agrees that KK provided him with incredible support throughout his journey, receiving great personal guidance from his mentor through regular meetings, completing sections of his PEDR sheets, and sharing knowledge.

How did you balance your work responsibilities with the requirements of the Chartership?

Esme explains that there is a benefit to studying while working, as it allows you to put what you learn into practice straight away. They allow you to take some study leave, which she took most of. Maintaining communication with her line manager was key. Josh mentions that allocating time around working hours to study was a challenge initially, but he found times when he was more productive, like weekends and mornings before starting work. Xavier reiterates this and highlights how the study day leaves were also very useful. Much like Esme, he took these towards the end of the process when things intensified.

Did you have a mentor or someone who guided you through the process?

The four speak highly of their mentors at KK. Sam is especially grateful to Tim Clark, whose dedication to developing competent building surveyors at KK is unmatched. KK not only allowed time for study but also provided access to its team of Chartered Surveyors for lunchtime Q&A sessions and a series of mock interview assessments leading up to the final assessment. Josh mentions that he also received great personal support through regular meetings, completing sections of his PEDR sheets, and sharing resources like books. He also had helpful discussions with colleagues from other disciplines on topics such as Practice Management, Contracts, and Tender methods.

What advice would you give to someone considering pursuing their Chartership?

They all agree that you should go for it. Read up on pathways and believe in your ability to learn and develop. They describe how you get out what you put in but also emphasise the importance of maintaining a good balance between work, studies, and life. Having this balance ensures that you are productive both during work hours and while completing your studies. It’s also beneficial to organize discussions and meetings with colleagues and professionals, as these help you understand topics in more depth. Think about this as early as possible—record any valuable information you come across that you may want to use later and build a portfolio of work as you go in case you want to refer to it.

What did you do to celebrate?

Esme says she was in disbelief when she passed and celebrated with colleagues at a firm-wide party on the same day, as well as with friends and family just before Christmas. Going forward, she feels she can celebrate and be more confident at work, especially since she has more time, and she's excited to get back into reading books for enjoyment rather than for her studies!

Josh celebrated by enjoying a meal out with his partner and family, along with some celebratory drinks with close friends. Xavier also went out with friends and enjoyed a big steak! Sam, upon receiving confirmation of achieving MRICS Chartered Surveyor status, promptly updated his email signature and celebrated with a few glasses of champagne that had been saved for the occasion. He then booked a short trip away with family, who have supported him wholeheartedly throughout this journey.