Claudia Feaver

My RAU experience

I chose to study Real Estate at the RAU because the smaller class sizes appealed to me, allowing better relationships with both classmates and lecturers. One of my brothers also attended the RAU and so I had knowledge of all the opportunities available.  I also liked the idea of being able to interlink some rural aspects into Real Estate, as I was initially unsure on the exact area of property I wanted to go into.

I enjoyed how well you can get to know everyone, as well as the sense of community at the RAU, meaning I now have many friends and contacts, both nationally and internationally!

Being a small, rural university gave me more opportunities and activities to get involved in, which a larger university may not offer.

What I gained from the RAU 

One highlight I experienced was being nominated for the Women in Property student awards, which allowed me to network with people already in the industry, as well as those entering. The experience improved my confidence in presenting, and allowed me to reflect on my degree, while enhancing my CV for internships.

In Summer 2022, I did a 6-week commercial surveying internship with Cushman & Wakefield in London, and a 4-week utilities surveying placement with Fisher German in Ashford.  It was very interesting completing both internships, as they covered two different areas of surveying, allowing me to gain a greater understanding of what a career in each sector could look like.

Both placements helped put theory from university into practice, which increased my knowledge and understanding further.

I was fortunate enough to be offered jobs on both graduate schemes, meaning I could focus my time more on my degree, rather than job applications! The decision was very tough as I thoroughly enjoyed both my placements, but I decided I wanted to begin my career in commercial surveying and complete my APC in this area.

I would highly recommend studying at the RAU, particularly a property course, as the lecturers are very supportive and classmates really do become your friends.  The course itself is very interesting, and feels unlike anything you learn at school, meaning everyone begins at a fairly equal level.  

Similarly, some assessments carried out are related to what you could complete whilst working, such as completing a valuation report.

The course prepared us well for graduate positions as many of the lecturers either have, or still work in the surveying field, and so are able to share anecdotes from the industry.  I am now a Graduate Commercial Surveyor for Cushman & Wakefield in London.