Training award winning surveyors

Edition: March 2024

Sussex Building Control is well recognised for fostering growth and development.

Award winners

As the Local Authority Building Control (LABC) service for Horsham District Council and Crawley Borough Council, Sussex Building Control can nominate notable projects and individuals to the annual LABC South East Awards. The awards celebrate great design and build standards as well as teamwork and individual excellence. This year trainee building control surveyor Ross McCartney (pictured right) scooped the regional award for Newcomer of the Year.

Meet the team

We are lucky to currently have three excellent trainee surveyors. Alongside Ross, Mary and Charlie are gaining practical experience whilst studying to become fully qualified building surveyors with full chartered membership.

Ross, (pictured right) joined the team with great local knowledge, but from outside the building industry. He has undertaken a LABC level 4 course to develop his skills and is continuing his professional development with level 5 training.

He describes the team as “extremely patient and encouraging”.

Mary comes to the trainee role from a background in civil engineering and said:
“It’s great to work with people who care enough to do everything possible to provide a good service.”

Charlie (pictured top) recently transferred into Sussex Building Control from our Neighbourhood Warden team. He commented that he was drawn to the new learning challenge as well as the opportunity of new career opportunities. He described the traineeship as:

“A huge commitment, and a huge learning curve, but well worth it.”

Charlie

The surveyors undertake a course of work-based study. They work closely with the experienced team assisting with managing applications, responding to queries, ensuring building work is undertaken in compliance with relevant standards both in the office and applying theory in practice on sites reviewing projects as they progress.

Supported by experts

Our team managers act as mentors for the trainees as well as undertaking new qualifications themselves. Following the Grenfell disaster, surveyors are now required to become registered with the Building Safety Regulator to be able to undertake some inspection and assessment functions.

Team manager Andy (pictured above left) has become one of the first in the country to complete the additional rigorous training and is now registered at the highest Class and Category - Class 4 Technical Manager and Class 3 (specialist).

The knowledge and experience in the team means our trainees have the very best start to their careers.

Award winning collaborative work

As well as our award-winning trainee, two other regional winners were put forward for the national LABC Awards.

We are delighted that the collaboration between Sussex Building Control and DK Planning and Design won the award for Best Residential & Small Commercial Designer. K Black & Sons (KBS) who took the South East award for Best Residential and Small Commercial Builder were among the runners up in their highly competitive category.