Thrive In Construction with Darren Evans

Ep. 30 The Future of Surveying: How Nina Young is Revolutionising the Profession with ‘Surveyors UK’

• Darren Evans • Season 1

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Nina Young is revolutionising the surveying profession. In this episode Nina delves into the journey of embarking on a construction career later in life, highlighting the advantages of continuous professional development (CPD) in the construction industry. She also introduces her newly launched online membership platform, Surveyors UK, designed for the surveying profession and the broader construction sector. Nina emphasises how such platforms are playing a pivotal role in shaping the future of the construction industry.

This episode further explores the dynamic field of surveying and its essential role in the home-buying process. Whether you are a homeowner, a prospective buyer, or considering a career change, this episode serves as a comprehensive guide to understanding how surveyors uphold the safety, value, and integrity of one of your most significant investments—your home.

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LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/nina-young-surveyors-uk

Surveyors UK: https://surveyors-uk.com/

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Darren Evans:

How you actually got into surveying. Was that something that you wanted to do from school?

Nina Young:

It was actually something I looked at at school. I'm kind of rare, because most people fall into surveying. They literally do. It's something they do later in life, because that comes on to maybe a point we can talk about later where there is, I think, a lack of awareness of opportunities for surveying at school. But I did consider it. But I went to visit an old man in a tweed suit on a lovely estate who was a chartered surveyor. But it was just so old school, so fuddy-duddy, it just wasn't inviting, it didn't feel particularly appealing. So I ended up doing an environmental management degree instead. So the surveying kind of went to the back burner then.

Darren Evans:

So what is surveying?

Nina Young:

kind of went to the back burner then. So what is surveying? Surveying this is a really good question because I think that's what a lot of people don't know because it applies to so many different things. So, for example, you can be a surveyor of properties, you can be a surveyor of boats, you can be a surveyor of the land. I kind of I've looked at different definitions but I've not found a particular one answer to that. Something that surveys, like observes, makes notes, analyses. It's a very analytical, observation-based role, but it is so vast and there are so many different types of surveyor there are probably 15 to 20, at least types of surveyor and they all do different things 20 at least. You know types of surveyor and they all do different things. But I think it comes down to that fundamental reviewing, auditing, observing, making notes, making recommendations. I think that's probably the best I could give it as a, as an explanation, without sort of alienating anybody so if we just focus on the buildings side, of things.

Darren Evans:

So if I'm at school or at university and I've got an eye for detail, would surveying suit me? Could?

Nina Young:

do, it could do. I think there are different types. So an eye for detail, if you're really analytical, for example, and say even mathematical quantity surveying, you know is a very analytical, desk paced financial modeling, that kind of thing that would really suit you. But the eye for detail generally, yes, I guess you can apply it to either. So when you're walking around sorry, I went on to quantity surveying but going back to building surveying, the ability just to be able to observe, literally one of the fundamental things of a surveyor is that observation and being able to notice things while you're walking around a property or a building, you know any kind of anything in the built environment really.

Darren Evans:

What value does surveying add to buildings?

Nina Young:

Your ability to identify defects or issues, say, with an existing I'm talking about an existing building here, whether it even be brand new, so you've got snagging issues or it's, you know, a grade two listed period property. It's that literally identifying anything that is either an immediate issue, a significant risk for example subsidence or something that could potentially be an issue down the line. For example, you'll notice, you know, when you're walking around a property, especially in the rain. Leaky gutters literally rain running down the side of the building is a very common cause of damp, but the actual issue might not be actually visibly there yet. So it's following a trail, it's seeing an issue and what potentially it could lead to, either there and then or in the future.

Nina Young:

I think an important point with building surveying is an analogy I always say is that a building surveyor is like a GP always say is that a building surveyor is like a GP? Because there is this expectation when someone comes to look at a building that they are going to do absolutely everything. They look around, identify what potentially are the issues and then they will refer you on, like a doctor would to a specialist, say, to see a cardiologist or something like that. And I think there is a very common, especially with the general public, as to they think you know, why have I now been recommended to get an electrician? Because you can't possibly be everything. So I think that's that's a really important point.

Darren Evans:

I love that. So surveyors know a little amount, relatively speaking, about everything, as opposed to a super deep amount about one specific thing.

Nina Young:

Yeah, that's correct. I mean, there are obviously surveyors that specialise in certain areas, so they have even more expertise and they literally will just focus on that. You'll have, for example, a asbestos surveyor who may have come from a property building surveyor background and they've gone down that route. You'll have surveyors who specialise in building conservation heritage sustainability is a really good example as well and the environmental impact of buildings, energy efficiency and things. So yeah, but that whole it's very much something that needs to be kind of more educated out there, that they cannot possibly do everything.

Darren Evans:

I like that. So if you were thinking about going into surveying what three attributes or three skills would you say would be fundamental to being successful as a surveyor.

Nina Young:

I think it's that curiosity is a really important one. That curiosity thinking what, what, if, that, what's that, that always wanting to look further, investigate further is a really important skill. I would say you have to be skilled at conveying an issue you find in a way to your end user, your customer, as to what that issue is and explain it in terms that they understand. You know it can be challenging sometimes where some surveyors do reports to complicated language and you know it's just too long and nobody reads it. And I think a really good skill is to be able to convey complicated language into layman's terms for someone to understand. A third one is that willingness to constantly learn and not think that you know everything. I see it. I do see it banded about a lot. Every day is a school day for a surveyor, because you do see things that you would you've never seen before. You could be in surveying for 20 years and then suddenly you'll see a defect or an issue. What is that?

Nina Young:

you know, and I think that's another. They're obviously more obvious skills and things, but I think there's some fundamental things that are important.

Darren Evans:

I love that. So you just started an organization called surveyors UK. How did that come about?

Nina Young:

well, it was a few years back. I actually had the idea I'd come into surveying and I'd embarked on a surveying course to be a residential surveyor and valuer. And late on in life, and I started a student group for surveyors and students on Facebook because there was nowhere that students could go, like myself, and ask questions in a comfortable environment. Over time that just grew and that just took on and then I found that the group was helping not only students, but it was helping them with. You know, it was helping them find jobs, mentoring, which is a big challenge, and just really positive feedback. But about one in three, one in four people don't use Facebook. A lot of people don't want to post on Facebook because it's their personal profile, so they don't necessarily want to go on to a business related, professional related forum. Um, and lots of people were exiting facebook and they are, um, so I was thinking so how can I do something? And that was that particular issue massive scale, large scale. But then also, over time, as I do digital marketing for surveyors and have been for years, I realized, talking to many surveyors, that there was a lot of pain points. There's a lack of any way you can go to learn about events, whether that be a local meetup down the pub, whether that be a national conference to learning about careers, jobs, cpd.

Nina Young:

Continuing professional development is required for surveyors to keep up their experience and comply with their memberships and there's nowhere that is pulled together. There's huge resources out there but no one always would ask on groups where do you find the latest CPD? Where do you find this? And you know, just somewhere. A central place for the surveying profession. It's huge and there is nowhere that was representing it as a whole and bringing it into one place. So that's where the idea I drew a diagram a few years back mapped it out. It has grown legs since. It's gone from a four-legged horse to literally an octopus. I think now it's good, but it has its challenges and I came about the idea to have an online membership platform for the UK surveying profession that represents surveying and it connects the surveying profession and wider industry together, because you can imagine surveying crosses so many different other industries, construction being a really good example, for example, with these surveyors. So that's where I sort of came up with the idea. It evolved over time for example, with the surveyors.

Darren Evans:

So that's where I sort of came up with the idea. It evolved over time. So how does this interact, then, with an organisation called the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors? Or people will know as RICS.

Nina Young:

The R-I-C-S yeah. Rics. Rics are the global leader.

Darren Evans:

Don't they do the same thing as you though?

Nina Young:

Oh, absolutely not.

Nina Young:

It's completely different and this is something that we are working hard to kind of that misconception, to address it.

Nina Young:

We are working actually with professional bodies such as the RICS, such as CABE, the Chartered Association of Building Engineers, the CIOB, the Chartered Institute of Building, and there are well over 20 different types of professional bodies in the UK with survey.

Nina Young:

The RIC has been the obvious global leader in this and we are working with them because they all have their own objectives, their own agendas, their own ways of working. They're very much top-down, standard-setting governance, but they don't work together and yet they all produce amazing content, cpd resources, and so what we're doing is we'll have a whole area on there just for the professional bodies to be able to showcase themselves, share their content and communicate it out, so that I know people are members of the RICS, are also members of CABE, but a lot aren't. But there's so many things that we can share. Surveyors go to CABE, but then you've got other ones like much smaller, like the Party Wall Institute, and I don't think enough people know about it, and I also want it so that when anyone lands on the site, such as a student, they can look at actually what there is and the array of opportunities and memberships there are. So we're kind of facilitating and curating and bringing it together and breaking down silos really.

Darren Evans:

So this is the way that my brain works, but you seem to me like the Uber of the food industry. Yeah, okay, so I can go on to Uber and I can find all the different types of food that I want, depending on what my need is or what my taste buds are at that time.

Nina Young:

That's it.

Darren Evans:

And then I can just pick this one and pick that one and pick the other one.

Nina Young:

That's a really good analogy, actually, because I think our number one mission or objective is that we are completely unbiased. We are independent, but we literally, so we bring everyone together, and that facilitates so much, because we don't have those barriers, and it's also, it seems to be, the most popular thing that people are really really engaging with us on is the fact that we're independent. Anyone and everyone can join, so all types of surveyor, for example okay, so speak specifics.

Darren Evans:

Now I'm interested how much would it cost if I was a student, just finishing or in university?

Nina Young:

students are free. Students are free to join because it's important that students can get on board early days, in early careers.

Darren Evans:

universities, colleges can signpost them to the site because it can give them resources that the universities and academic institutions can't provide, and so no cost to students, love that I won't go into the details for people that are not students, because I'm assuming, over time your pricing structure will change and I don't want to put you in a hole in that area. Structure will change and and I don't want to put you in a put you in a hole in in that area, but what we will do is we'll put a link in the uh in the show notes so that people can go on and uh and find out more.

Darren Evans:

But I love that idea and I love that concept we've made it, I mean with regards to pricing.

Nina Young:

We've made it so that it's so cheap it's literally a few cups of coffee a month for an individual because we want thousands on there, because the more on there then everyone's just going to benefit. And surveyors already have their own memberships, some of which are hundreds a year. You know, they're not. They're not so, as we're not competing, we're kind of complementary. We wanted something that was accessible for everybody so that anyone can afford it what organization would you love to work with?

Nina Young:

I don't necessarily want to single anybody out, because I think they all have a part to play. Um, we are having conversations with the rses.

Darren Evans:

This is a cape expert witness institute, so I guess work with are you actually working with them at the moment, or is that as we speak now? Or is that conversation started this is conversation starting.

Nina Young:

That's important. So it's conversation starting because the full membership rollout isn't live yet. That won't be live until the middle of August. So at the moment we are talking with, but we've had the yeses from some of these professional bodies to go more than happy to be part of this. Another one is the Chartered Institute of Civil Engineering Surveyors. They're very positive about, you know, working with us.

Nina Young:

But yeah, it's, it's a difficult question because I think there isn't anyone I'd necessarily just single out. Or, you know, we want to work with everybody, to be honest, and I think we've already made such good inroads, I guess, if there's anything I could refer to it. We want to work with more universities and colleges. I've just put something out today, you know look, we're looking for people to academic partners basically. So some of the other universities would be maybe. You know the University College of Estate Management. We've had involvement with them in the past with the student group, but I'd love to start conversations with them, you know. But there's, and there are so many and you know so many universities just shifting gears slightly.

Darren Evans:

I want to draw upon your experience in both surveying and in marketing right and you mentioned before that you did. You've done work for surveyors and they've been your clients and you've marketed them as an organization yeah so what things would you say that surveyors are getting wrong when it comes to marketing?

Nina Young:

I think they are not focusing enough on their customer. I don't think they're putting themselves in the place of a customer. For example, a good example is the house buying process. So you want to instruct a survey? Um, you've seen your dream home and you're like. You know, the initial hurdle is a lot of people aren't don't even think about having a survey, which is something we're trying to, we will try and address with surveys uk. That's another thing, um, but it's that constant awareness. Before someone even thinks, people buy a house, maybe what two, three times in their lifetime, and surveying is not a surveyor, is not in their mind.

Nina Young:

However, if they are constantly marketing and another point is consistent. So if you're doing something, you do it consistently, not just when you're quiet, because that happens is that you're educating and building awareness of you as a business, doing things with your local community, providing advice on forums. It's that constant presence, rather than expecting that when someone comes to have you know they're only not only are they going to think to have a survey, but they're going to think of you. So there's a lot of different things in there that I've touched on. The other thing is that consistency. So if, if you do social media because I do a lot of social media marketing is if you're going to do it, you do it consistently.

Nina Young:

Because a lot of people don't realize that if someone's trying to find a surveyor near them, they will. They, a lot, will check you out, they will check out your social media. And if they go to Facebook this happens a lot they go to Facebook and literally they you haven't posted in a year. They're like are they still working? Why are they still operating? And they just like. So it goes against you. If you've got social media, you're not doing it. Well, it's actually a big negative.

Darren Evans:

Um so are you saying doing it well or doing it at all?

Nina Young:

I think you have to do one or the other. Okay, I think you have to do it consistency, consistently and well or not at all, because you will be judged if you're not, if your profile is out of date okay, and what you're saying there I've experienced myself.

Darren Evans:

I remember buying my first home. I was 22 at the time and the solicitor said that I needed to get a survey and I was just looking for the cheapest one and I'm like I'm not really interested in the survey, I don't understand the value of it. Then a family friend said oh, you need to get the full, all bells and whistles homebuyers report. I think it was called yeah, it was the homebuyers and they went through the fine detail of everything.

Darren Evans:

So I did that because it was recommended. Then I got the report and I didn't understand it. I didn't understand why they were bringing up every single thing and I just felt overwhelmed. I looked at that report and I was like whoa, I don't even want to buy this house anymore because it's got more problems than a middle eastern conflict complex and it's difficult and it looks like it's been going on for a long time. Someone please tell me, this is not what I want to buy yeah, yeah, that's, that's common.

Nina Young:

Did they talk to you? Did they pick up the phone? Did you have the chat with them? Did they give you a ring or nothing at all did you feel you could talk to them.

Nina Young:

Absolutely not right, okay, I think that's one of the areas that again surveyors could improve on is, I see, really successful surveyors being very open to communication. They basically let you know when that survey is going to be, report is going to be delivered. Because, as you know, it's extremely stressful and emotional to buy a house. It's panicky. You've found your dream home. Surveyor goes out to the property. You're like, oh, what's what's happening? It's like when you're in a traffic jam on a motorway and you're stressed and you don't know what's going on and you're waiting for that report. So, communicate clearly timescales, but also make it clear that you can. A lot of them will say they offer a 20 minute or a half hour call to discuss the report. Some surveyors will actually call after the survey and call the client there and then and provide an update, which is brilliant because the stress levels just go straight away.

Nina Young:

And reading a report and you've got the red, amber, green, the red, and you're just like, oh, if a surveyor calls you, they can put it in context and perspective, because electrics, for example, will always be flagged as red, always because unless there's you's a full report. That's just been an electrician's report, which is unlikely, it has to be referred to an electrician to investigate. So it's always red, so you'll always see that. But if it's Vegas I've said this because I can't find any proof of inspection X, y and Z, you just you know that communication Also the ability to have Messenger or WhatsApp, or you know that communication also the ability to have messenger, whatsapp, or you know this day and age technology, people want that.

Darren Evans:

You know that, that approachability I want to just hone in on the um, on the red, on the electric report because I've I've experienced that and I've never understood why, both as a buyer and a seller yeah and and I was most affected when I was selling because I almost felt offended. In fact, I did feel offended that my report came back, that it was red and I'd only done it two years, I'd only changed it two years ago.

Nina Young:

It has to be raised as red because Surveyor cannot. You know it's that kind of assurance guarantee. You know a surveyor is held to count. You know the regulated members and they cannot say as I know from looking at that because they're not electrician that that is safe and so they have to then flag it as red because it's high risk, because it's a danger to life electrocution. It has to be highlighted and it is always very much a bone of contention with estate agents. They get very frustrated with it. But it's kind of trying to explain why. Because if, for example, a surveyor just went yeah, that's fine, I think that's all right and a green rating someone moves in electrocuted, it's the surveyor that will get sued.

Darren Evans:

What about now? Lots of properties have got solar panels on the roof. How does that play into that type of report?

Nina Young:

that has to be. You know that's is always considered. You know anything that has the impact. One of the biggest things with solar panels can be their weight. So on roofs and how they've been fitted now, depending on the survey you get, depends on the level of inspection of that solar panel, because usually, due to access, you can't get onto the roof. Some surveys now a lot of surveys in fact use drones, so that can be used.

Nina Young:

But that's one area where it's really looking at the defects. They can't necessarily test if it's working wouldn't necessarily do that but they will look at the impact of it. Is it too heavy of the slipping tiles? Where is it being positioned? That kind of thing. The energy side and that is something that's being looked at a lot more now. So, for example, some I think this is where it's moving to is that more and more surveyors are including in their reports you know the, not just obviously there is an EPC there, but looking more into the insulation, the energy efficiency of of a building. That I think you'll see more coming into your typical house buyer reports, because people want it. People want to know how energy efficient is my home.

Darren Evans:

Is there a difference between a surveyor's approach to a new build versus a building that's been around for 20, 30 plus years?

Nina Young:

I think the fundamentals are the same. I think it's your step process of observing that whole property. I don't think that is necessarily different. The difference with snagging, though, is that it requires it's a new build. The difference with snagging, though, is that it requires it's a new build. So you're looking more. You're not necessarily seeing the defects yet because they haven't appeared. For example, a very common thing in new builds is the venting from the bathroom into the roof. The pipe goes in. It's supposed to be, then ducted outside. It's just left in the roof. So over years and years and years, moisture builds up, and then you've got problems with the timbers. New build you won't see that, so what they have to do is look at how it's been built. How well is it being built? Where are the issues? You know, are they the DPC, the levels of the ground breaching it?

Darren Evans:

So just use that. Just help me understand what a DPC is. A damp proof course OK and where does that appear and why is that relevant?

Nina Young:

A damp-proof course is just above ground level and it's used. Basically water. Moisture moves upwards, so from the ground it gets soaked upwards with capillary action and it moves upwards into the fabric of the building. Damp-proof course is an impermeable layer that stops it and it can be made of lots of different materials. Traditional buildings it was slate, for example.

Nina Young:

Um, now it's more impermeable membranes and you'll notice, if you look at older properties, that it's dark green, you know, looks uh wet almost at the bottom and then above that it's dry. So if it's working effectively, what it's doing is stopping moisture rising up into the building and then obviously you've got your damp, that's, your damp issues that you've got. So a lot of the time when damp proof courses are breached. I've seen an example of this in a new build where disabled access is now required and there was a ramp and the ramp was just put over the damp proof course, so it's breaching it. It's just simple things like that, but um, it's, it's absolutely essential and it's very common cause of damp if it's damaged or breached you seem to really love what you do I love.

Nina Young:

I just love the surveying profession. I love the built environment, I love the the wider. You know I love that school as well. I remember doing urban geography at school and absolutely loved that side of things and it's so diverse. And I think that's the one thing that people are not aware of is there are so many different avenues you can go down as a surveyor.

Nina Young:

I've talked to marine surveyors. They're fascinating. It's very similar to the property market. It's to do with buying and selling boats or insuring boats and it's so different. But they're still quite similar and it's very changeable. It's influenced by so many different factors but it's impacts so many different areas for estate agents, conveyances, construction, um, farming. You know there's so many different areas and I don't think what I'm really trying to do with surveys uk also is a big area is to elevate and say this is the profession, this is what's there, and look at this as a career, because it's incredible and I think we need to shout about it and I think everyone does, and I think we need to shout about it and I think everyone does, but no one's thought to then bring it together. So we're all shouting together almost. I think if that makes sense but yeah, I love it.

Darren Evans:

I love it and it sounds like that's what your platform does yeah, that's, that's the.

Nina Young:

You know this sort of, I would say, three key areas and objectives. One is that elevating the profession, building that awareness for careers, you know, bringing together these colleges and schools that are trying to sort of introduce surveying. Because, if you imagine, everyone knows what a doctor is, everyone knows what a lawyer is, but what's a surveyor? And it's a massive profession and it's a profession in its own right with standards and membership, and I started to talk to some people they're looking at how can we introduce into schools. So one of the best areas I'd see is within the geography curriculum. Trying to change the curriculum is humongous, that's huge, but introducing it into geography, it's a no brainer just to even have a little section on what a surveyor is. That's one of the areas. The other area is breaking down the with Surveys UK and connecting surveyors and students together, whether that be to benefit from mentoring, whether that be to benefit from business collaborations, referrals, working on projects together. That is an area that's really key.

Nina Young:

And then, finally, it's the whole public perception of surveying. There is a lot of misconception. One of the biggest issues within property surveying is a survey is not a valuation. A valuation is on behalf of the mortgage lender to basically see is that is that property a safe asset to lend that money on? And it's a valuation safe is probably not the right word, it's valuation whereas a survey is actually going in and inspecting.

Nina Young:

But so many people think that when a value valuer comes out, sometimes they're there 15, 20 minutes more. Now it's all becoming desktop based. They're not even going to the property. People think that's a survey and they don't understand so that whole. We're looking at areas where we can help have guides and information, working with the experts across the profession, as to why you need a survey, what type of survey. And then there are other areas such as um, fuel poverty is a real challenge and housing disrepair and housing associations retrofit. There's lots of grants people can get, but they don't know about them because what we've realized and found, well, not realized, but we're starting to get inquiries from the general public it's survey uk.

Nina Young:

Yeah, through our um through our membership and um email address and you know, can you do a survey? And initially, with the concept a few years back, I didn't envisage the public side so much. And then I've realised that people see Survey UK. They're going to think get a survey, whatever. That survey is not just property surveys. You know different types. So for us it's a way of well, why not, if we've got that, then we can help, you know, help educate the general public, because I think the surveying profession needs that, because it's so misunderstood and unknown. And when I started to train to be a surveyor, I started to talk to people about it and they just look puzzled Like what are you doing?

Darren Evans:

So I think that with that is a good segue into the demolition zone. So we are back. We're now in the demolition zone.

Nina Young:

Yes.

Darren Evans:

And Nina, you've created this piece of art, I would call it, and there are one, two, three, four, five pillars of varying sizes. It looks very stepped to me. Can you talk us through it? What does it represent?

Nina Young:

It's very simple In that it represents age. So this is someone very young at the start moving up to retirement. This is someone very young at the start moving up to retirement. Because the misconception I hear a lot, I observe a lot the myth is that even in surveying is that people are too old to change, too old to change career, too old to start their own business. And I think it's false and I think so many people hold themselves back. I know people that are of an age, say, in the 40s, 50s, 60s, that are only now training to be a surveyor. You're never too old to change direction in any careers.

Nina Young:

And when I look at famous people, you there's so many examples, going back to my love of 80s films would be Arnold Schwarzenegger. He's, uh, was a bodybuilder. He was a famous movie star. Then he moved into politics and became governor of California in his 50s. Totally different, you know, and there's so many famous people out there that are like that. But everyday people I think I don't want to do. I don't want to set up on my own. I'm scared, even later on surveyors who've been employed for years. I'm like you can do it and I've helped give support and encouragement so you can change. I think you can change and do something different, no matter how old you are, it doesn't matter.

Darren Evans:

Good, good Sounds like you've experienced that yourself.

Nina Young:

Yes, I've reinvented myself many times throughout my whole life, from sales chartered accountant and then going into recruitment, marketing and surveying. I've kind of done this whole suite of things. But everything's kind of led me to where I am now and feeling the best place. I feel. You know the best in my life, know what I want, know what I want to do.

Darren Evans:

But yeah Good, I love that. Well, I think we're now in a position where you can just destroy that myth.

Nina Young:

Very good, yes, love that. Let's get it destroyed. Love that. Just going on with that same thought process of you reinventing yourself or having a change of career, or having that belief that I think it's it's basically enabled me to change direction when things weren't working for me. Um, you know, everyone's scared and you've got to face that fear and do things that are different and try them because, at the end of the day, what's the worst that can happen?

Darren Evans:

Really.

Nina Young:

I mean really, I understand with regards to if you're employed and you want to go self employed, you're scared of the financial risk, but you can do things. You can do things gradually, you can build a business part time, you can study part time, you can evolve and grow. But I think it's enabled me to learn so many different things, so many different backgrounds and industry, that then you can apply them as you go along, which builds resilience as well. I love to see people making change if they're not happy. You know, staying somewhere, you don't have to stay in that job forever. You can make those steps, but I think a lot of people don't realize that they can love that.

Darren Evans:

What advice would you give to someone that's looking for a mentor?

Nina Young:

I think one of the well, I'd say, obviously come to Surveys UK. That's. That's where, where I think you know this is one area that I really want to address, because as a Surveys UK member, as a professional, you can opt in to be a mentor with your profile. So, over time, the the objective is, as it grows, a student can actually search for a mentor within a directory which is, you know, to address. That would be amazing.

Nina Young:

However, in the interim, there's the student surveyor group on Facebook that I manage and join there and you can ask there. We share it. But also LinkedIn. Linkedin is brilliant and I think make sure you've got a really good profile, your background bio, and start approaching surveyors in your local area and again, just explain that I'm just after a couple of hours, or, you know, I think it's been clear to the surveyor so they don't feel pressured Outline it. But I think social media has a good way of. Linkedin is the the best option, because I've helped other students, I've shared they've they've sent me a message, they've done a post and I've shared it for them, and I had one student the other week. They've had three mentors, literally. But obviously I can't just do that, you know, but I think LinkedIn's really valuable.

Darren Evans:

What benefit does a mentor get from having a mentee?

Nina Young:

A lot of it is that it takes them out of their comfort zone. It really does, because suddenly you're having to, you have all that knowledge, you're again. You're like you need to write a report for a member of the public, you need to convey sometimes some very technical things in a way that the student's going to understand, uh, concisely, so they have to become like new skills, like teaching, you know, and, and they have to learn that as they go around the property at the same time as focusing on something very technical. And I think they do find it really rewarding all the surveys I've heard of, and there are so many amazing out there that just want to give to students and give their time and support. They really enjoy it and they sometimes have to brush up, you know, but they may be a bit rusty. They'll be asked a question like oh, you know, you don't always know everything, so they have to research.

Darren Evans:

So it kind of can keep them on their toes as well quickfire questions okay what innovative technique or technology in surveying do you think will revolutionize the industry?

Nina Young:

I think one of the areas I've seen a lot that's going to have an impact will be around the ability to scan a building. So I've seen a lot. There's different types of technology going on with the AI, but it's the ability to scan the whole building using a drone and you can use the AI to analyse that data and you can find all the pinpoints and the whole structure of that building, where the issues are, where the defects are, and I think that's just that technology is incredible. I think it won't replace surveyors and I think there's a lot of nervousness around AI and technology at the moment. One of the things we're going to help with we're going to have a community within the membership for technology and AI, because lots of A's want to discuss it. But I think that ability to analyse vast amounts of building data and infrastructure is going to be.

Nina Young:

You know, housing disrepair, housing associations have tens of thousands of assets properties. The AI can analyse that data and then use predictive analysis from past. When do we next need to inspect that building? When do we need to do work on it? So there's yeah, it's, I think, ai and it's going to be. It is huge. I love it. I've got my little robot thing on because I just love, love, ai, just it, but it has to be used carefully, but lots of opportunities for it in your opinion, what is the most underappreciated aspect of a surveyor's role?

Nina Young:

Is that they will identify and I'm specifically going to refer to property surveying in this answer is that they can identify significant issues in a potential property purchase that can save somebody thousands, tens of thousands of pounds, heartache and issues down the line. And I think there is this lack of appreciation of the value that they bring with that and those eyes and ears of an expert to look at your future home is it's's just, it's priceless. But I don't think people even really appreciate it and I think we need more of that, more examples, to be honest.

Darren Evans:

Last question what three things are you most grateful for? I?

Nina Young:

am grateful for my mum. My mum was so much an inspiration for me from very young. She set up her own business um her own driving school and I remember even then, when I was very a young teenager, helping design her brand. I remember designing her logo and everything. It was called checkers, checker school of motoring and she was an inspiration. She just took the plunge to work for herself and I'm grateful for that. I'm grateful for her inspiration, her drive and her motivation just to go out there and just do it and she was so successful. She taught all my friends. It was quite, quite amusing.

Nina Young:

I'm really grateful for my health. I take a lot of effort to look after myself. I love cycling, I love road cycling, getting out and about, and I think you know you've got to look after your body as well as your mind, and I think they all work in unison. So I'm very grateful for that, and I'm also grateful for where I am now to be honest.

Nina Young:

Everything in my life has led to this moment, has led to Surveyors UK, and I never would have envisaged it years ago, and so I'm just grateful to have this opportunity to share something that I think is going to have a big impact on lots of people, and I'm really grateful for that.

Darren Evans:

I'm grateful that you've come today. It's been a pleasure speaking with you and the time that we've spent together. I really hope and expect actually for Surveyors UK to do really, really well. We're all behind you and supporting you.

Nina Young:

Thank you very much, Darren.

Darren Evans:

But thanks for being here.

Nina Young:

It's been a pleasure. I've really enjoyed it, especially knocking down those bricks A bit of my frustration.

Darren Evans:

It's been great.

Nina Young:

Thank you very much. Thank you.