Jonathan Springer: why I chose a surveying apprenticeship

Jonathan Springer is an apprentice surveyor working for Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), a commercial real estate services firm. JLL is the second-largest company of its kind in the world, smaller only than CBRE Group.

What first attracted you to surveying?

The variety of each working day and it seemed – and still is – an exciting career choice. It is also a strong profession to get into, with international recognition that can broaden your horizons and open a lot of doors.

How did you first become aware of apprenticeships in surveying?

While searching through the government's apprenticeships website, I was very fortunate to find the surveying technician apprenticeship. I didn’t have much knowledge about apprenticeships, due to the fact that my sixth form didn’t give out any information on them.

What does a surveyor do?

Find out about the types of surveyor, what they do in different sectors, and their average salaries.

“Surveying is a strong profession to get into, with international recognition that can broaden your horizons and open a lot of doors.”

Jonathan Springer

Apprentice surveror, Jones Lang LaSalle

There appeared to be a perception that apprenticeships were for non-academics, which is far from the truth, and is why I am extremely passionate about letting other young people know that high level apprenticeships in property are out there and on the increase – giving school leavers real opportunities to join the profession and get involved.

How did you get into your current role?

I applied through the Chartered Surveyors Training Trust (CSTT) which is a not-for-profit organisation, helping young people find routes into surveying through apprentice schemes. Once I had registered with the CSTT, they found me interviews with a number of employers in the property industry. I was successful with JLL and began working in the retail high street and landlord team, then transferring to the retail out of town team.

Why would you recommend surveying as a career?

The fact that it is such an interesting career to pursue with opportunities in the UK and abroad. The people that you meet also help you to grow. You can get involved in interesting projects which have relevance in the world today, allowing you to get out of the office and look at amazing buildings and interact with great people. It is a very sociable job, which I genuinely enjoy coming to every day.

Can you tell us about a career highlight or the best project that you have worked on?

A career highlight for me was doing my first viewing, which involved showing potential tenants around a retail property on my own. The fact my team gave me the responsibility to do this really showed the trust they have in me.