Becca harmon, Assistant Quantity Surveyor
Becca’s story
“I’m about to start my third year of a five-year BSc Hons in Quantity Surveying at Portsmouth University following my HNC at Solent University. I’m a RICS degree apprentice, this involves additional time and commitment to studying alongside working, but Highwood has been very supportive throughout. I joined the company in January and I’m fortunate that Highwood was happy to continue funding my studies.
“Working hands on as an Assistant QS at the same time has helped me understand the modules I’m studying – and gain additional skills and appreciation in other areas such as project management. When I complete this degree I’ll have completed my APC – the assessment of professional competence, which means I can then qualify as a fully-fledged chartered surveyor.”
George’s story
“I’d already decided I wanted to join the MSc Spatial Planning degree when I joined Highwood,” George explains. “I was a geography graduate with an interest in town planning and cartography and this was the next step I wanted to take.
“Highwood has supported my application to Oxford Brookes University for the part-time course so I’ll be able to study remotely whilst continuing with my work in the office. At the end of the course I’ll be an accredited Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (MRTPI) too – that will certainly support my role at Highwood.”
George Sanders, Planning Assistant
Bryony Roberts, Trainee Quantity Surveyor
Bryony’s story
“I joined Highwood in summer 2022 and Highwood supported my application to begin my HNC course that year. I’m now on my second year following a great, but very challenging first year – as I’ve been based on site, I’ve been able to ask the site team questions I needed answered and that’s helped enormously. It’s also helped that what I’d been learning for the HNC tied up nicely with the project I’m on and it couldn’t have lined up better really. For example, when learning about roof construction at college, the roof was being constructed on the job so I could quite literally see it as I was learning.
“The HNC has been very good at teaching me many basics, but I believe the real knowledge is on site – what I’m learning on site, I’m then using in assignments, which is enabling me to get higher grades. The whole time, I’ve felt very supported and encouraged by everyone at Highwood too.”