Young professionals qualify despite Covid-19 restrictions while they studied

A further three surveyors at DM Hall have passed the final professional hurdle of their professional training despite the impact of Covid-19 on their studies.

The three, Greg Donald, Callum Herd and Thomas Lennie, now qualified chartered surveyors, sat and passed successfully the Assessment of Professional Competence (APC), which sees them progress to be members of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

Greg, who graduated with a BSc Honours degree in Real Estate Surveying in 2021 from Edinburgh Napier University, joined DM Hall that year and works in the residential surveying department of the firm’s Aberdeen office.

When Covid hit in early 2020, Greg’s studies in the latter part of this third year and his entire final year, was conducted off campus and online.

Callum Herd, with a MA Honours degree in Geography from the University of Aberdeen in 2019, worked with residential letting agents before and during his Master’s degree which was in Real Estate Management & Development from Herriot Watt University in 2021.

Again, as a result of Covid, Calum’s Master’s degree was all online and he did not attend the campus at all. He, too, joined DM Hall in 2021 and works in the firm’s residential surveying department in Edinburgh.

Thomas Lennie, who joined DM Hall in 2019 and works in the firm’s rural property department, graduated with a BSc Honours degree in Environmental Science from the University of Aberdeen in 2018 and went on to take a Master’s degree in Land Economics (Rural Surveying and Rural Property Management) at Aberdeen, graduating in 2019.

Ian Woods, Commercial Partner across the West of Scotland offices, who is engaged in DM Hall’s professional education process said:

“With this trio’s success in passing their APCs, in addition to the achievement of two of our Ayrshire-based colleagues, Ross Cooper in Ayr and Steven Kennedy in Irvine, who qualified last year, I am delighted to say that it brings the number of DM Hall team members who have achieved RICS membership to five in the course of a year.

“This is a fine achievement by all these professionals, who come from a range of backgrounds, especially against a backdrop of Covid-19 and all the inconveniences it caused to both professional work and intensive study.”

John McHugh, Managing Partner of DM Hall, said:

“We welcome Greg, Calum and Thomas to membership of our professional body and look forward to seeing them grow in confidence and experience over the coming months and years.

“As highly qualified young professionals, they are the future of Chartered Surveying and in time they will play an important part in the future growth and development of the firm in the years ahead.”

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