School-leavers in Greater London are being offered the opportunity to become surveyors, even if their academic qualifications have been less than anticipated.

The Chartered Surveyors Training Trust (CSTT) – a charitable organisation set up more than 20 years ago to train youngsters for the property and construction industries – is looking for recruits to its surveying apprenticeship programme.

Under the initiative, 80 committed school-leavers with five GCSEs at grade C or above will be placed by the CSTT with a recognised surveying firm, where they will learn ‘on the job’ how to become surveyors and will, eventually, progress to full chartered status.

“There is a common misconception that apprenticeship schemes are only offered to the likes of plumbers, electricians, bricklayers or engineers,” said Kevin Drugan, Manager of the CSTT.

“However, the Chartered Surveyors Training Trust offers promising youngsters – who are perhaps unsuited, or simply not keen, to follow the traditional university route into surveying – an opportunity to enter into the profession.

Drugan said that chosing the apprenticeship route did not put trainees under any disadvantage.

"In fact, we have found that our former apprentices often reach full chartered status more quickly than those who go to university, as the latter still have to gain on the job experience before they can fully qualify,” he added.