As one of Cornwall’s structural engineers and surveyors, Martin Perry Associates supports the exciting and forward-thinking advancements that are taking place in the institutes that encompass our industry. So, with the news that on Monday 25th June, a number of the RICS’s female professionals came together to announce the arrival and unveiling of a newly introduced virtual summit, we were eager to share the news.
The new summit will focus on open and inspiring conversations in regard to the working environment and lives of female staff. The main objective of this is to inspire more women who are employed in the industry to let their voice be heard.
What Will the Surveying Sisterhood Summit Entail?
A collection of video interviews featuring women involved in the surveying industry and associated sector will make up a portion of the Surveying Sisterhood Summit. This will take place over the course of a fortnight period beginning on Monday 9th July.
There will be conversations that offer a host of insights based on the following topics:
- Staying safe while lone working
- How to progress your career
- How to get board experience
- How to manage menopause at work
- Managing the balance of work and life outside of work
- Career progression upon returning from maternity leave
Marion Ellis, who is a Certified Customer Experience Professional and member of the RICS is also the founder of InspiringCX, located in Milton Keynes.
InspiringCX offers qualified advice to organisations, companies and business owners looking to educate their staff on employee advocacy solutions and customer experience strategy. Furthermore, Marion is the founder and host of the Surveying Sisterhood Summit, and with a successful career that’s lasted almost two decades so far, she has all the credentials to provide excellent advice. Marion saw her career elevate from front-line administrative roles to become the director of one of the UK’s biggest property firms delivering residential valuation and survey guidance.
Marion said of the summit: “The aim of the Surveying Sisterhood Summit is to change the conversations women in our industry have; we know women make up less than 14% of the RICS membership and the message needs to change. Our conversations need to be interesting and relevant. Creating space and an opportunity to normalise these conversations is vital to see the change we want in our industry.
“A better understanding on what matters for all will help attract and retain more female talent, which in turn, ultimately creates a more inclusive industry. We absolutely encourage men and women [to] sign up and find out more.”
What Else Can be Expected From the Summit?
Further to what’s already been mentioned, there’s set to be an exciting, conversational panel that will comprise of figures such as:
- Kath Fontana, RICS Senior Vice President
- Joanna Farnsworth, Commercial Manager at Galliford Try
- Kate Charrington, Associate Residential Surveyor & Valuer at Countrywide
- Sharon Slinger, Director at Constructing Rainbows.
It’s been confirmed that other female property experts have been brought in to offer their sound and well-informed advice. These inspirational people include:
- Hilary Grayson, Director of Surveying Services at SAVA,
- Jessica Tabibi, Quantity Surveyor at Clive Graham Associates Ltd
- Sophie Smith, Building Surveyor at Atkins
An additional 21 others will also share their knowledge during the summit, making it an unmissable event for all concerned.