Published: 21/01/2025 By Harriet Andrews
Symonds & Sampson are delighted to welcome Graduate Surveyor Harriet Andrews back to the firm, a year after completing her placement in our Yeovil office during her degree course at Harper Adams University.One highly regarded feature of the Rural Enterprise and Land Management course at Harper Adams University is the opportunity for students to undertake a ‘year in industry’. This placement year forms an integral part of the four-year sandwich degree program and is proven to significantly boost students' employability, with a 98% employment rate after graduation. We are delighted that Harriet is now part of that statistic.
“The placement year I spent in the Yeovil office was a brilliant first experience of rural property surveying. I was afforded the opportunity to shadow Partners and surveyors in the firm, watching and learning both in client-facing meetings as well as assisting with a wide range of work in the office. Additionally, being welcomed into and given opportunities within the agricultural auctions department was a personal highlight, and from very early in my placement year, I was allowed to take to the rostrum, relishing every moment and quickly reassuring me that I had taken the right career path. Fast forward twelve months, and I am proud to have returned to Symonds & Sampson in October 2024.
“In the year between completing my placement year and returning to the firm in October, I have graduated from Harper Adams University, completing my final eight modules and a dissertation, learning the skills to prepare me for the broad range of disciplines required to be a successful rural surveyor. After graduation, I was fortunate to spend time on station mustering cattle in Queensland, Australia, followed by a road trip through Canada and the USA. Both were truly fantastic experiences, but I kept an eye on matters at home, punctuating the trip with phone calls home with my predictions for the UK beef market based on prices across the pond!
“Travels completed; I am truly delighted to return to the Symonds & Sampson fold. I am a graduate surveyor based in the Burraton Office in Dorchester. My first three months have flown by, hitting the ground running and working with clients to prepare their business for the incoming Autumn budget. My ‘in-tray’ includes a wide variety of tasks, working on anything from valuations and planning applications to tenancy matters and grants and subsidy applications. With the knowledge from HAU and the experience gained during my placement year, I feel well-prepared for the role. I appreciate the opportunities, support and guidance from colleagues throughout the firm. Returning to Symonds & Sampson has allowed me to expand my experience in a new office, refining my skills and developing my expertise as a rural surveyor.
Growing up on a beef farm on Exmoor, agriculture is close to my heart. My childhood dream was to become an auctioneer, and my placement year at Symonds & Sampson set the wheels in motion. I am now part of the firm’s Graduate Training Programme, working towards my RICS and CAAV qualifications. I am focused on advancing my career and making a meaningful contribution to an industry I am passionate about.
It has been an exciting and rewarding few months. Every day presents new challenges and opportunities, and I am truly excited about my career with Symonds & Sampson. Harriet can be contacted at our Burraton House office in Poundbury on 01305 236237, meanwhile to find out about careers and opportunities within Symonds & Sampson, please click here.