David Ridley

My RAU experience

I chose to study at the RAU because the Covid-19 pandemic led me to look for alternate career pathways. I initially intended to go to London and study economics, however the pandemic led me to realise that I valued a close knit community where support was at the heart of the organisation. This then tied in with the future career prospects in Real Estate and Land where human interaction is at the forefront.

I found that the smaller lecture group size at the RAU meant that all lecturers has ample time to discuss material or assignments on a 1 to 1 level which greatly increased the fulfilment of both attending lectures and engaging fully in the assessment process. One highlight was the guest lecturers who gave insight into the real world of surveying instead of the paper and theory-based sides. I found this incredibly valuable when applying for postgraduate jobs as it gave insight into the markets, business operations and it also gave context to what we were studying. The small class sizes combined with the knowledge of the industry provided by lecturers was second to none, providing excellent theoretical knowledge and providing real world examples to show how the theory equates to reality in the work place.

The thing that I enjoyed most about the RAU was the community - from fellow students to lectures and staff, the university was always an enjoyable place to be. This followed through from first year, where living on campus meant having fellow students near, to second and third year, whilst living in private accommodation the student community remained close by.

What I gained from the RAU 

My course prepared me for my current role, with its focus on employability and with assignments having a real world purpose, meaning that I had a higher level of competency in day to day tasks associated with being in the work place as well as more industry specific tasks. I would highly recommend the RAU and encourage future students to take every opportunity whilst at uni, whether this be field trips or joining a society -your uni experience will be what you make it and there is something for everyone at the RAU. I am now a Graduate Surveyor working within the water and power generation team at Dalcour Maclaren.