More women surveyors needed says rural surveyor
Let's hear it for the girls, says Naomi.
Naomi Game
A rural surveyor is calling for more women to enter the profession. Naomi Game is one of just over 13 per cent of female members of the professional body, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).
“Chartered surveying is a hugely enjoyable job with a great career prospects,” says Naomi, a senior surveyor with commercial property agents Bruton Knowles in Guildford and covers the South East. “Yet too few women are entering the profession and it remains largely male-dominated industry.”
Later this month, Louise Brooke-Smith will become the Royal Institution’s first elected female president in its 146-year history.
“I would like to see far more of us coming through, especially in light of Louise’s election,” added Naomi. “I get a great kick out of working in the industry and would like more women like me to get the same opportunity.
“Things are improving, back in the 80s just three per cent of chartered surveyors were female, but the accountancy and legal professions are still way ahead with participation rates close to 50/50.
“Accreditation opens up the chance to enter a hugely diverse profession which covers 19 different specialisms in three sectors – land, property and construction – and the chance to work on projects all over the world.”
As regards clients, Naomi says attitudes to women in the profession are changing, but admits she still gets the occasional ‘negative comment’ as regards her sex.
“But on the whole, the job is immensely rewarding. I spend half my time in the office and half out and about, which is great for me as I wouldn’t enjoy being stuck in front of a desk all day.”
Outside of work, Naomi a self-confessed ‘country girl’, who studied at the Royal Agricultural College for an MSc in Rural Estate Management in Cirencester, likes nothing more than taking to the saddle on her horse Tonto.
Naomi has more than six years practicing farm agency across the region, having undertaken professional valuations and worked closely on agricultural business management with clients in the banking sector, as well as offering estate residential property management on behalf of owners and investors, to address a range of specialist agricultural and rural issues, such as leases, licenses and planning applications for farm buildings.
RICS (the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) is an international professional body with over 100,000 members. It regulates and promotes the profession to protect clients and consumers via a strict code of ethics and provides impartial advice, analysis and guidance.
Members are known as chartered surveyors and are recognised by the designation after their name: MRICS (Member of RICS), FRICS (Fellow of RICS) and AssocRics (Associate of RICS).
