Here we speak to Emily Young, Graduate Building Surveyor, to learn a bit about her journey to TFT and why she encourages more women to continue pushing boundaries.

How did you get into the industry and your role?

I have always been fascinated by historic buildings, architecture and the magnitude of some construction projects. I went to college for Architectural Conservation but was unable to do a degree in this so went down the Building Surveying Pathway which encapsulates all I love about the built environment and construction industry!

Have you come across any particular challenges within it?

Being a female in a traditional male environment can be challenging when getting your point across without being silenced or ‘mansplained’, but if you hold your own and are confident in what you do there should be no challenges! We all have the same degrees and do the same work so why should there be a difference between male/female building surveyors.

Do you have any advice to give people who don’t know too much about it/who are considering going into the industry?

It is a great industry to work in. The variety of workload is challenging but very enjoyable. One minute you could be working on a multimillion-pound project and the next you could be doing a site inspection of a huge empty warehouse in the middle of nowhere. It’s a great job and I am very lucky to be doing what I love every day!