From apprentice to chartered surveyor: my journey in real estate

How it began and my journey so far…

I discovered my career in real estate by accident. I joined Strettons as one of its first business administration apprentices when I was 16 and I was completely unaware of the vast, dynamic industry I had entered. I spent the first 12 months working within the property management accounts team while studying a level 3 business diploma part-time. Upon completion, I found myself questioning what to do next. While I had enjoyed my time in the accounts team, I was inspired by my colleagues on the surveying side of the business and was subsequently offered the opportunity to move to the property management team where I undertook a level 3 surveying technician apprenticeship.

After spending more than three years with Strettons, gaining experience within its property management accounts, residential and commercial property management teams, I decided it was time to take the next step and applied for the award-winning degree apprenticeship scheme at CBRE. The apprenticeship scheme takes just over four years to complete, whereby you are awarded with a degree in real estate management and the opportunity to become a fully qualified chartered surveyor upon successful completion of the Assessment of Professional Competence.

I threw myself into the experience and took full advantage of the scheme. I have now had the benefit of working with experienced property professionals across five service lines within the business including rating & taxation, property management, hotel valuation, hotel investment and long income fund valuation.

What is your top tip for starting out in real estate?

Flexibility is key. One of the things that attracted me to the scheme was the ability to undertake 12-month rotations with different departments around the business. In each of the teams I worked in I was faced with a different style of working and a new opportunity to learn. When I made the decision to embark on my surveying journey, I was naïve to the scope, scale and opportunities within the industry. Unfortunately, like many, my knowledge was limited to estate agency and quantity surveying. In fact, you could be working within a team to identify land development opportunities, value a theme park or provide strategic consultancy advice to improve a building’s sustainability features.

You will hear many similar stories of people falling into their roles within real estate. Being flexible allows you to explore the many opportunities it has to offer which, unbeknown to 16-year-old me, are endless. It really allows you to discover a career that aligns to your interests, capabilities and objectives.

What skills do you need to do your role?

Aside from fundamental skills including good time management, communication and a willingness to learn, I am sceptical when it comes to defining a certain skill set required to join the industry. I truly believe a role can be found for anyone within it. That being said, you do need to be accepting of change and have the ability to adapt.

I have only recently qualified, and despite still being in the early stages of my career, I have navigated my way through various events including Brexit, the global pandemic, geopolitical events, changes in working styles and the evolution of digital technologies. This has had varying impacts on my role and the departments I have worked within.

Real estate is a forward-thinking growth industry, constantly evolving to respond to markets and trends. The ability to question standard routine procedures, take initiative and immerse yourself within it is essential for those who aspire to undertake a career in the field. It’s about embracing innovation, seeking out new opportunities, and being proactive with your own professional development.

Callum Wyatt, a chartered surveyor at CBRE, was a Future Leader in 2022. His speech at the Future Leaders Summit – “A five-star future for our office space”–  focused on the “hotelification” of office space, which is based on the idea of making office space more aligned to the hospitality industry. He related this to the improved service, amenities and technology that hotels offer in comparison with offices and how we can adopt these functions to make offices more attractive to occupiers, subsequently increasing office attendance rates.