Hello everyone and welcome back to the Bilna Sandeep show. Today on the show, before I introduce the guest to you, a lot of people ask me when you see my name on LinkedIn, you see Bilna Sandeep MRICS and you’re like, what is MRICS? So to those of you who are not from construction industry, MRICS stands for, because I’m a chartered surveyor, so we say member of Royal Institution of Chartered Surveys.
So now today I have someone on our show who is a senior chartered surveyor and also the founder of apccoaching.me. Welcome to the show Roshan.
Watch the Video
Part 1
Part 2
Listen to the Podcast
Roshan:
Thank you for having me.
Bilna:
Thank you so much for being on our show and you have flown down all the way from Oman to our show and really I’m very grateful to have you here on our show. It’s a pleasure. So Roshan for our listeners, especially those who do not come from construction industry, right?
When I say to my friends and family itself, when I used to work as a quantity surveyor, when I say quantity surveyor, okay, are you somebody who just takes quantities, maybe counting the rebars, counting how many bags of cement you need? So that’s a misconception people have. So would you like to tell our listeners what actually a quantity surveyor is and what is their role?
Introduction to Quantity Surveying and Chartered Surveyors
Roshan:
All right. So to start with, to have the fundaments of quantity surveying. Back in the day, the quantity surveying was, yes, it’s counting the quantities and preparing bill of quantities.
It’s just like a quantity engineer kind of thing. It’s a quantity engineer kind of role. But when it comes for the industry where the industrial revolution was concerned, you know, the quantity survey’s role was diverse, right?
Where the routes were running through in different, different areas, such as the procurement contracts, the financial reporting, and when it comes for other areas, even under the legal concept. So now the term quantity surveying is just not representing the quantity itself, right? It is far more beyond that point where, you know, the industry demands that the quantity surveyors should have all those fundamental knowledge over and above their basic role of taking off quantities.
Pathways to Becoming a Chartered Surveyor
Bilna:
So I think, I mean, I served as a quantity surveyor probably 12 years. And in that, maybe in the first six months of my career, I’ve taken quantities and I’ve never done that after that. So it’s a, and then when people ask me, are you so good at maths?
Are you that person? I’m like, no, that’s not my role. I am in the commercial and contract side and people are not even aware of this industry.
And now to add to it, chartered surveyor, they’re like, we don’t even know what a quantity surveyor is. Now what is a chartered quantity surveyor? So do you want to share about that as well?
Roshan:
Yes. Now when it comes for the chartered quantity surveying designation, you can get in different ways. One is that in your, like when you are representing your country, you have your own institution of country in country, chartered institutions, such as when I’m coming from Sri Lanka, where you have the Institute of Quantity Service, Sri Lanka, that is also a chartered designation.
And when it comes to the global representation, you have the platform called MRICS, which we also call as you introduced yourself as myself. So the member of Royal Institution of Chartered Service. So that is a global forum where it accredits the quantity surveyors that they pose the right knowledge in terms of various aspects, and they are fit into the construction industry in order to provide professional service.
So that is where a traditional quantity surveyor is distinguished from a chartered quantity surveyor.
Bilna:
So when you’re hiring a chartered survey, you know that they come with this expertise, more like a validation of what expertise they have. And now if I were a young QS, if I was looking at becoming a chartered QS, what is the procedure? What do I do?
Because every time on LinkedIn, I get this message, people asking, you’re an MRICS, how do I become an MRICS? So what is that procedure?
Roshan:
Well, it all depends on your enthusiasm and then your devotion in terms of becoming a chartered quantity survey. To start with, you need to get in touch with RICS, just dropping an email to them and by attaching your CV and your academic qualification. I believe that RICS has the right body to advise you, which is the right pathway suits to you.
Rather you go into different personnel and ask, can this is what I have? Can you advise me what is the right path for me? But I would always suggest, even for…
Bilna:
To go directly from the RICS.
Roshan:
I would always suggest, please get it clarified by RICS because they are the right people to help you choose.
Bilna:
Even though you are somebody into coaching people for RICS, you believe that it is the best if you go by the institution and ask them what is the right pathway for you and the right steps for you. And now there are different pathways available. So if you look at different modes of pathways, what is a realistic expectation one can have on how long will it take for me to apply to become a chartered surveyor?
Roshan:
It all depends on the route that you have been provided to get your chartership. Now you have the 24-month structured training route, which will ideally take two to two and a half years to get your MRICS status. And there is 12-month structured training and there’s primary assessment route.
That is also almost a year and a half. And then you have the direct entry, whereas you just enroll it and then you just go and face your final interview.
Bilna:
And this direct entry is for very senior roles, right?
Roshan:
Well, not really. Now, in case that you have an accredited degree and then you have 10 plus years of experience, then you can go by the direct entry. So you enroll, say for example, you enroll two months before the intended interview date.
Sorry, intended submission date. So still you can face the upcoming.
Bilna:
And RICS is the right body to tell you which route to go by as well, right? They were based on your CV and your professional experience that you share with them and your educational qualification. So these are the two sides, education and the professional experience.
Roshan:
So I would always advise for all those who are inquiring from me, I would say don’t send your job CV to RICS because that does not fit the purpose. You should showcase yourself about your experience and relevant things, but you should not be putting all these career objectives and all those things on top of the CV, which does not add any value to your requirement. So always try to customize your CV that suits.
It’s not a job application.
Bilna:
It’s not a job application.
Roshan:
So you need to understand that you are sending to a professional body for them to understand and advise you what is the right pathway.
Challenges and Strategies for Candidates
Bilna:
It’s more about making it very clear for them. These are the companies I’ve worked in. This is the number of years I’ve worked.
And this is the role I had in those companies. And this is my educational qualification. So these things, right?
And it’s not just a copy paste, which you do with all the job applications. It should be a customized CV and a customized email that you’re sending to MRICS saying you’re interested to apply for it. And now, again, once you are into the process of application, there is a lot of jargons involved like CPD.
You will also hear about terms like case studies, summary of experience. And some people are very scared to approach saying, oh, my God, there are so much of submissions. What should I do?
So can you simplify it for us? What are these things?
Roshan:
Right. Now, I would put it this way. Now, RICS uses three key three documentation, I would say.
One is a case study. Second one is a summary of experience. And the third one is the CBD records.
And on top of it, you need to complete the ethics module.
Bilna:
Yes.
Roshan:
Yeah. So yeah. So leaving ethics module aside.
Now, when it comes for the case study, the case study is nothing but it’s a document that RICS uses to understand whether the candidate has the right knowledge. He does have the analytical thinking and as well as he has the right decision making ability. So that is basically that is what the case study does.
Bilna:
OK.
Roshan:
Right. On top of it, when it comes to the summaries of experience, it’s a matter of showcasing of your expertise in your areas and on the given competency areas.
Bilna:
Yes.
Roshan:
So it’s nothing really rocket science. It’s not complicated as long as you know the fundamentals of it. It’s just you crack on it.
Bilna:
Yes.
Roshan:
The only the hurdle that you will be having is that to find the right case.
Bilna:
To find the right case study that can establish or that can show your skill or show your expertise.
Roshan:
So basically, you know, in terms of my APC coaching, what will happen is like to find the right case study. Sometimes we may spend sometimes three to four weeks.
Bilna:
To identify the right case to approach.
Roshan:
So, you know, we have to, you know, consider different options, you know, whether it’s viable or it’s not viable. Sometimes by the face of it, even though we consider as a case, but when we go into the depths of it, it may not be a good case study. So again, back to square one.
It is not a matter of spending time to find a right topic that fits into you. It will help you out in a greater way because you are finding a case study. It is within your control.
Bilna:
Yes, because you have already been involved in that project and you have done the work.
Roshan:
Correct. Exactly. And the other constraint that you will have is that the case study should be within 24 months.
Bilna:
Yes. From the submission date, you have to calculate. It should have happened in the last 24 months.
Roshan:
Exactly. And then the case study should be demonstrated within 3000 words. So these are the real challenges that the candidates should have.
But however, you know, with all the right knowledge, you’ll have how you’re approaching and the right coaching that you get from your counselor or the mentor. Achieving this target is not so hard.
Bilna:
Right. Okay. And what is the challenge that you have seen most of the candidates that come to you face?
Like what do they come the most commonly asked question by them?
Roshan:
Yeah. What I get quite a common question is like, you know, most of the candidates come where their primary profession was not quantity serving and then they have switched in a later day for various reasons. But what I tell my candidates, even though I am, if you consider me, my historical background, I come with a management background.
Bilna:
Okay.
Roshan:
Right. So I’m a management graduate. So I have, you know, I have a bachelor’s in business administration.
So it was a later, it was on a later day, I switched into quantity serving. So here I am. Right.
This is your prime example. If you have the right dedication and then you are, you have that enthusiasm to get into this qualification. Even, you know, if I wanted to become a chartered accountant one fine day, if I have that enthusiasm.
Importance of Networking and Coaching Program Differentiation
Bilna:
If you have that aptitude to run into it.
Roshan:
Correct. Then definitely you can. Yes.
Bilna:
It’s all about the work you put in.
Roshan:
Exactly.
Bilna:
It’s like, if you are passionate, you can go anywhere and at any age, you can start off. Yes.
Roshan:
I mean, until you go to your grave, you keep on learning.
Bilna:
You have the opportunity to learn. Amazing. And I think that is one good thing about being a chartered surveyor, every year you’re supposed to complete your CPD, which is again a continuous learning.
Right. And now I want to ask you a few other aspects like when it, now I have started running my own business. Right.
So I go to a lot of networking events because that is how I get my clients and I get my visibility in the industry. But while we were focused on career, while I was in the, as working at that time, I was not really into a lot of networking events because I never knew that. But unknowingly, I was actually doing it when I went for the APC coaching and all, when I was meeting a lot of people that way and I was learning through all of them and it was opening different doors for me, which I didn’t know at that time, it was networking that I was doing.
So what is your take on that? How important is it for professionals to network so that they can grow in their career?
Roshan:
Yes. Now the thing is like, if you are, for example, if we were back in our own countries, you know, the network opportunities was very less, right? Where the industry professionals don’t blend each other.
Now, when it comes for a diverse environment, such as in Dubai or in the Middle East in common, all the cultures will come together and you will meet different, different people and different, different professionals with their own expertise. Right. So when you are growing up in your career, it’s always, it’s always advisable that you have the proper networking, get their, get their knowledge to you, their experience.
And then that is where you start to learn. It’s not from the books. It’s not from what you learned in your university, not what you learned in school.
So all comes with practical exposure.
Bilna:
Yes.
Roshan:
Right. So that’s, that will help in a greater way in order to, you know, enhance your professional career.
Bilna:
Exactly. And it’s always getting to learn from others who’s been through your journey, maybe who’s already ahead of you and you get to learn through them as well.
Roshan:
Exactly.
Bilna:
Right. And now when it comes to your APC coaching, the particular platform, which you are running, there are other, also a lot of other coaching platforms here in the Middle East, right? What makes yours different from others?
Why would somebody come to yours?
Roshan:
Right. Okay. Thank you for asking that.
All right. Let me put it this way. Now, when it comes for achieving your chartered service, chartered status, obviously the candidate requires more interaction with their counselors, right?
As you know, like the counselors are also busy, you know, working professionals, you know, we cannot blame them also because they have to balance the work-life pressure as well. Right. So only when they have some time, they will be allowing, able to review everything for them.
Okay. Now in terms of my coaching is that I focus on one-on-one coaching.
Bilna:
Okay. So you sit with each of them. Exactly.
Roshan:
On a weekly basis, all the candidates will have a dedicated slot, one hour slot. It depends. Sometimes it’s a half an hour.
It could be one hour. It depends on the preference of the candidate. Okay.
But you spend that one-on-one at least once a week. Once a week. And on top of it, this is, I believe that is, this is the first coaching program in the Middle East, which introduced one-on-one coaching where you will have the other coaching sessions, which you have mass crowds, mass gathering.
Bilna:
Yes.
Roshan:
It’s the model of…
Bilna:
Not all your questions are always answered probably, right?
Roshan:
Yeah, exactly. The other thing is that, you know, in most of the circumstances, the mentor always try to interact with mass audience.
Bilna:
Yes.
Roshan:
And then, you know, the interaction between the candidates is very less.
Bilna:
Yes.
Roshan:
Right. So that is one of the drawbacks that all other…
Bilna:
All other programs, coaching programs…
Roshan:
But in terms of my coaching program, I enroll only a very limited number of candidates. So that you can meet them once a week. Exactly.
So it’s a maximum of, say, 25 to 30 at a max per season. Yes. So I have the CPD session running on a weekly basis.
Bilna:
So those are the group or the CPD sessions that happen?
Roshan:
Yeah, that was a group.
Bilna:
Yes. And then… Additionally, they get that one-on-one coaching.
Roshan:
And then the one-on-one coaching is nothing but, you know, we discuss about the case study, summary of experience and any other areas where the candidate feels they are lagging of their knowledge and the understanding. This is the platform for them to come up with the questions. Yes.
So that they can clarify…
Bilna:
All their particular doubts. Exactly. So now we said there are different routes to go, right?
Like if it’s a preliminary route, it might take you around one and a half years. So your coaching program, when is the right point for them to come to you? Is it after they first enroll with RICS or is it before?
When is the right time for them to come?
Roshan:
Well, so my coaching program, when it comes for the preliminary assessment route, I would consider that it’s the longest route.
Bilna:
Yes.
Roshan:
But still you have this 12-month and 24-month structured route. Yes. So I would say one year before the intended submission date.
Bilna:
Intended submission means the preliminary submission or the final?
Roshan:
Final submission. So it’s the right time to step into the coaching.
Bilna:
Oh, amazing. Amazing. And when they first come to you, right?
Do you have a filtration process? Do you ask them a few questions to make sure that they are right fit for your coaching program? Or how is that process?
Or do you guide them on it?
Roshan:
I’m very… So basically when I run a filtration process, similar to the selective tendering process. I don’t involve all the candidates for my coaching program.
I would rather… I have set a prerequisite where the candidate should at least have 10 plus years of experience for them to enroll with the coaching program. Because at the end of the day, the experience matters.
Bilna:
Yes.
Industry Challenges and the Value of Experience
Roshan:
It’s not all what you have learned in theories.
Bilna:
Yes. Right?
Roshan:
Yes. Because if you consider the Middle Eastern region, you know, it is one of the region where you have the least passing rate.
Bilna:
Okay.
Roshan:
All right. As compared with the other regions.
Bilna:
Other regions. Yeah. Okay.
Why do you think is that the reason?
Roshan:
Well, there are a couple of reasons. One is that, you know, the industry demands that even you just randomly search for a quantity survey, even they ask for a junior quantity survey, they demand that that quantity survey should have MRICS.
Bilna:
Okay.
Roshan:
Right? Which is not the case, right? So the HR should also understand.
Bilna:
What this industry is really, right?
Roshan:
So this cure, this industry cures has created that in… Everybody is under the pressure. Pressure to have the MRICS status.
Okay. Which is not the case, right? Okay.
So if you produce somebody who’s premature to the industry, how does this person having this MRICS status would go and represent the industry?
Bilna:
Yes.
Roshan:
Right? It’s not all about you…
Bilna:
Pressure on people to just get it, maybe because they don’t really want it, but it, because the job descriptions always ask for a charted survey.
Roshan:
Exactly. Okay. So if you can’t perform, what I always tell to my candidate, if you are within your comfort zone and you say, in the industry, I can give advice only within my roles and responsibilities.
Yes. Then don’t consider yourself a charted survey.
Bilna:
You have to be open to that whole wider approach of being a charted survey.
Roshan:
For example, if a client comes to you and you work as a contractor and ask you an advice, right? Yes. I mean, it’s not really required that you need to know about the depths of it, but you need to have that…
Bilna:
Professionalism to actually approach the case.
Roshan:
Exactly. So you need to look into the problem by stepping into the client’s shoes.
Bilna:
Yes.
Roshan:
Isn’t it? Right. It’s just not say, okay, I’m a contractor.
I know only this, but this question is not relevant to me. I’m sorry. No, it’s not the case, right?
Yes. So as long as you are serving the profession, you need to have that, you know, the competence.
Bilna:
Competence to really give that.
Roshan:
Exactly.
Bilna:
Now you have opened up a huge new question for us. See, in this industry, like when people are looking for RICS, they ask me, like, you know what, if I become an MRICS, will I get a better job opportunity? Will my career transform the next day I get an RICS title?
So is it really about the title or is it the experience? Okay.
Roshan:
I used to tell, I used to mention to all of my candidates, right? Even recently now, during this period, we are undertaking all the Q&A sessions. Yes.
I always tell the candidates that, you know, the hard work that you put into this process, you will put forward you six year ahead.
Bilna:
Yes. Let’s say, for example, the whole grooming that goes through the process, right?
Professional Development and Online Learning
Roshan:
Correct. So after you get your MRICS, obviously you are a new person.
Bilna:
Yes.
Roshan:
Right. You are carrying that burden of MRICS. I would say not a burden, actually.
It’s a title of the MRICS. It’s not easy to maintain.
Bilna:
Yes.
Roshan:
There are certain things that you need to follow. If you can’t, as I told before, if you can’t demonstrate yourself by even you’re achieving MRICS, that’s not a point. Even you are MRICS, don’t consider yourself MRICS.
Bilna:
Right.
Roshan:
Because we don’t fit into the role.
Bilna:
Right. And since you already touched about that hiring process as well, right? Now, myself putting into the shoes of a business owner.
So for example, if I’m running a contracting company or I run a consulting or I’m a developer. So would it be better for me to hire somebody who’s having like maybe 5 to 10 experience, but they come with an RICS title, MRICS or a 25 years experience senior QS, who doesn’t have an RICS title?
Roshan:
Well, I would put it this way. There are candidates who are young bloods.
Bilna:
Yes. Right.
Roshan:
So they are very passionate, out of the box things, out of the box thinkers.
Bilna:
Yes.
Roshan:
Very eager to learn. They understand the depths of the problem. And there are people who are experienced and they are stagnated into one particular area.
And then they don’t want to step out of their comfort zone.
Bilna:
Yes.
Roshan:
Now, if I look into the problem, I mean, if I have two options.
Bilna:
Yes.
Roshan:
Whether I have a young blood with MRICS, a chartership and any other professional accreditation as compared with one who has extensive amount of experience in the industry, but he’s stagnated to his own comfort zone. Obviously, my choice will be for the young blood. Young blood.
Yeah, because obviously the contribution to a business unit is much more from a young blood as compared with one who is stagnated within his comfort zone.
Bilna:
Yes. So it’s more like the ROI that I get as a business when I hire a person, right? Roshan, I have seen that on your apccoaching.me portal, there is an option for CPDs, right?
Online purchase option I have seen. Can you tell us a little bit about what that is?
Roshan:
To touch about the APC portal. I mean, it was not a case to start up a portal.
Bilna:
Okay.
Roshan:
Before it was a case that I was only focusing on one on one coaching.
Bilna:
Okay.
Roshan:
Right. I just don’t want to do any CPD sessions. I thought it’s all in the industry.
You have thousands of coaching sessions for CPD sessions. Anyone would like to join them. And then if you want a personalized coaching session, they can come finding me.
But soon I identified that the candidates does not have the right knowledge to blend.
Bilna:
There was a lot of gap.
Roshan:
Yes, the knowledge gap. So what I did is that, okay, I started the coaching program.
Bilna:
Okay.
Roshan:
And one of the hurdles that I found is that, you know, because of this work loads and the personal commitments, some of the candidates do not turn up to the CPD sessions.
Bilna:
Oh, okay.
Roshan:
Right. This is where it prompted me to open up APC coaching portal, where you will have the recorded CPD sessions.
Bilna:
Okay. So you give them the option to attend live. And if not, it will be recorded and available on the portal.
Roshan:
So the other thing is that, you know, APC portal is one of its kind, that all the resources is available in one single platform.
Bilna:
So for example, if you have organized into topic wise, competencies wise.
Roshan:
So if you say, for example, if it is contract administration and practice, which is a contract practice is the one of the core units on quantity serving and construction pathway. If you had visited my portal, you can see the contract administration, contract practice and administration competency itself. The CPD hours is almost 10 hours.
Bilna:
Yes.
Roshan:
Right. Whereas the other CPD sessions you get in the industry, it’s limited for three hours.
Bilna:
Yes. Yes.
Roshan:
At a max, maybe five hours. But when it comes for the CPD sessions that I do, I want to do it extensively. The reason is that I don’t want my candidate to know only the basics.
Bilna:
They should know everything in depth, right?
Roshan:
So APC portal was one of the outcomes of that thought process. Now it is benefiting in a greater scale. If they want to again recall what we discussed again, they can go back and play the video again.
And the videos are not available for downloading, but you can view it online. But the materials are always available for downloading.
Bilna:
Nice. Is it available for those outside your coaching program?
Roshan:
At the moment? No. But for those who have coached under me and then they have got their RIC status, they will be having a complimentary access for a period of a year.
Bilna:
Oh, very nice.
Roshan:
So every now and then they want to join.
Bilna:
So anytime they want to upgrade or they want to learn more or they want to just go back and brush the skills, they can always come back.
Roshan:
They can always use the APC portal.
Bilna:
I think while we were preparing for our RICs, I think one challenge we used to have was not having enough CPD sessions everywhere. Like I know there are now more online options, but at that time it was quite less. So now I think this is a very good option for a lot of them, the convenience.
And I think you can offer it for everybody in the middle. I think your students are all coming from all over the world.
Roshan:
So the next move would be this. Because I mean, the portal itself, I mean, I am up to this coaching session is around one and a half years now. So over the period of one and a half years, one of the greatest invention that I made is this APC portal.
It is benefiting in a greater scale to all my candidates and also those who had already qualified in the charter ships. So I’m glad that, you know, Anywhere in the world they can watch it from, right?
Bilna:
Anyone watching from probably India or Sri Lanka or Europe or Australia, everybody has access to that platform.
Roshan:
I mean, just to substantiate that argument, what is the popularity of APC portal? If you search APC coaching in Google, APC coaching is at the top.
Bilna:
So that was an amazing marketing strategy, because it comes with the word, your website itself is APC coaching and anybody wants to search for APC coaching, I think that comes up first always. And now coming to this online versus in-person, because we were all from the pre-COVID era. So at that time, everything was in-person.
So there was one great advantage to it was that the personal connections you are making, like I said, like I was a very junior person, maybe around six, seven years experience at that time. And all my classmates were like contracts directors, contracts managers, all very senior people. And they were very happy to guide me and all those.
And I had a very strong bond with all of them. So what is the difference now? Are you seeing them still making those bonds when they’re coming in the online programs?
Roshan:
Well, I would say COVID had created a much more impact in the industry, where it switched the physical events into online events. Now I would say most of them are sitting within their comfort zone because everything is online. Even though there is a physical networking event, is there people just want to chill out by just sitting back home.
I mean, I personally prefer that you have meetings or CPDs in person rather you having online. Interaction with the crowd or interaction with the audience is much more effective. When it comes to this online platform, that in-person connection will not, it’s not up to that level.
Bilna:
Which we had in those in-person ones.
Roshan:
So I mean, as you said, we were the candidates or we were the professionals of the pre-COVID era. We got our RICS somewhere 2018, if I’m not wrong. So I think you and me got at the same time.
So those days, all coaching sessions, it’s just like, I mean, we learn as a group or a team. Everybody contributes each other. But now I don’t think that’s happening to that extent anymore.
So if you are a professional, I would always suggest that, you know, step out of this comfort zone.
Bilna:
And make those little groups at least. Because we had those study groups at that time, four or five of us, we would meet every weekend. I think at that time we had Friday as a weekend here.
And every Friday morning, we would meet in academic city in a food court. All five or six of us, we would come. We would discuss different competencies, our case studies, summary of experience.
That bond was really strong at that time. And now you also mentioned about the group which you were part of. Do you want to share about that as well?
Roshan:
Well, to be honest, those days, back in the day, the APC was kind of a luxurious thing. Like, you know, getting MRICS means it’s kind of a luxury.
Journey into Quantity Surveying and Mentorship
Roshan:
Always, you know appreciate where I came from. Yes. I was in the industry for quite some time At that point in time, it was around six to seven years in Middle East Yes, maybe eight years if I’m not wrong to be precise, you know, I was just having my lavish lifestyle You know, I did not have that burden.
No, I did not have that, you know enthusiasm because at the end of the day I was within my comfort zone. Yes, but one fine day I realized what am I doing here? Yes, do you want to progress in your career or do you really want to just stick to your comfort zone?
Yeah, then there was one informal group Which was orienting on the APC process. It was not only for MRI CS. It was also for MAI QS as well Yes, so There’s a group called our QS class our QS class.
It’s a very informal group Where it’s orienting and the it’s providing the the community in terms of the right quantity serving knowledge And when it comes to the the competencies the mentors are also While the RICS members of our community they come do the sessions free of charge Right, the the audience were hundred plus Right, and then sometimes, you know, we had that caliber where when we had this one-on-one I mean when we had this mock interviews, yes, we used to book our foot in training center for maybe two weekends You know per day a minimum of hundred mock interviews Wow Yeah with different rooms like we you know, they are for them in training center You have multiple rooms the rooms will be converted into three partitions room.
Bilna:
Yes, where you can have all this
Roshan:
Interviews, I mean it’s so it was so amazing Everybody was contributing each other to make it happen Yes from the mentors when it come for the previous successors who assume the role of assessor It was really really a bonding kind of approach that we had So that is where I am hailing from to be very friend though I am doing it on a different scale But I would always acknowledge the great support that I thought you had come from how it helped you And then I what I would like to take take this opportunity to gratitude One person who really helped me out a lot Mr. Salman Malik either. Oh, he was also my counselor very humble person Easy to reach out anytime Yes, anytime I call him someone I have some problems. Can you explain me?
Can you do it? He was really down to down to the earth person where he was really I mean Into it and then he was the person who inspired me to get this qualification if I am here as Sitting in front of you as a chartered server. That is because of the support I got from mr.
Bilna:
Salman Malik There’s a huge shout out to him, yes amazing and so how did you actually come into this journey for the first time like when did that Transformation happen to become a QS journey itself because you mentioned you come from a different industry earlier, right? So, how was that?
Roshan:
really to be honest when it come for the Management kind of thing like, you know when it comes to the industry again all the decision that we make it depends on the industrial Trend. Yes, right now if you take up a job where? We are the construction industry is a dominated in Dominated industry, obviously, you will try to switch into that.
Yes, right. So that is how initial step of initial step So that is how even you as an engineer starting with a starting as an engineer you step into the point I was under the impression that you know the role that I was doing. It’s quite boring at that point in time Okay, let me find new opportunities so that is where I started my QS journey.
Bilna:
Oh nice. Yeah, so now here I am And do you want to share some milestones or some people who has helped you over the journey other than your counselor? But is there any?
Roshan:
There are many let me start with My parents obviously my parents was at that time the role models of me Especially my father a tough character Right. He’s just like running a you know Military kind of He’s the first to wake up in the morning, right so I can’t remember I was I was in my bed Not later than 5 o’clock in the morning Wow So he had your 5 a.m. Club by the fire club and then wherever you go by 6 p.m. You should be home okay, right so that kind of Rigorous approach that very routine You know, even though the the path even though sometimes at that time I felt it a little bit of a burden for me But now I I believe that gave me the courage to organize myself within my the time
Bilna:
You have become a very organized person because of your childhood where he had actually exactly made you that routine person Okay, and what would you do waking up at 5 a.m?
Roshan:
My father always says that you know when it comes for your Early morning, you know the routine. Yes, right. So it’s always good that you wake up in the morning Start up things very early So that you have enough time to spend over the period of all the all the course of the day Yes, right.
So it is really yes Organize your day in the morning Yeah, because if you want to make any critical decisions do it in the morning, right because you are in fresh minds If you want to organize yourself, please organize in the morning. Don’t keep on till the last minute I mean really that helped me a lot in terms of Operating now as well. So I mean I’m a very early person.
I take vision in the morning sometimes But it helps me in a greater scale and then when it come for my After I transit to From my parents and into the professional life, obviously before it’s a professional life my wife my daughter they played a key role in my success as a career as a career development because the patients that they had Right, especially my wife while you were Patients that they had and then on top of it the encouragement that my wife gave And even my daughter now I see my daughter as as a advisor to me She’s just just turned 11, but sometimes she used to that why why are you really doing into this?
Why? Why I was not like this Generation have that much broader outlook on things, correct, right? And then there are there are many people who Supported me other than mr.
Someone will agitator. I just quickly. I mean there are many but I will Mention few of them one was mr.
Rajan Prabhu He was my first mentor and who mentor means he was my Line manager to be in the first company when you became the curious So he was the person that he had that ability to you know Find the potential of a person and then push towards the right path if I am Here, I mean as a quantity survey, it’s because mr. Rajan Prabhu. He’s retired now Okay, he is the one who guided you initially when you stepped into this journey It was not into the QS role, but he involved me into this contractual matters contractual You know when it come for the contractual acts, for example complexities So he always tried to share the knowledge how to deal with things.
What are the things that you did looking for? So he was the first inspiring person for me To start my chart of it. Yeah, then as we go there were many mentors.
Mr. Mr Anthony Almeida, who was my second line manager when I was working in Dubai So I was working for almost nine years with Danway Electrical Mechanical Engineering And then it’s mr. Krishan the senior partner. I Treat him with utmost respect He’s also was my commercial manager when I was in BAM Well, these are the characters who had supported me to a great extent and then also other mentors, you know I I mean, it’s not good that I don’t mention them.
Yes The thing is that you know, there are many a lot of lot of things.
Bilna:
Yes.
Roshan:
So The support that you get in different intervals is Yeah, I think it’s about meeting those right mentors at the right right exactly, right?
Bilna:
Because even when I look at my journey I’ve had a lot of mentors who I would say the universe just put it in front of me at the right time So I took the right decisions and into the right career paths at different point in time, correct? So Roshan when as this is a case with most of the coaching programs, right? Some people assume that you know what there’s a lot of free information available on YouTube or any different website I can search for it and probably learn myself and apply for our ICS Of course there are people who do it and become successful as well but in general How does that?
Mentoring programs or coaching programs help and are a person to become our ICS
Roshan:
Well, I would agree at your point, you know, there are you know oceans of information that you have Over the internet because now it’s in a globalized world But the reason is that you know when it come for your charter ships, it’s an art Yes, right if you don’t blend into that art Obviously we’ll find Quite a challenge to cope up with the requirement.
Bilna:
Yes.
Roshan:
Now when it come for the APC process, it’s also the same, right? so I used to sell my you know, I used to Advise my candidates right even not even during your APC process, but even in your career journey, you need to assume the role of three characters one is to become a Actor Becoming a politician or becoming a lawyer, right?
Bilna:
So the role of politician lawyer.
Roshan:
Yes, right When it come for the actor you need to have that right PR. Yes, right to market yourself, right? Yes to keep the interaction with the community or the reaction with the The core team members the management or whoever it is You’re working with on a daily basis.
Yeah, so that is the role of actor.
Bilna:
Yeah, you need to you know showcase yourself Yes, I’m the right person and this is these are the credibilities of me And that is how you can convince a panel also during the interview exactly even if it’s a job interview I think is the same selling yourself, right? Yes.
Roshan:
So the second one is the lawyer Like there are areas that you are dominating Like for example, if you are a commercial contracts managing my capacity if you ask me about commercial management, that is my bread and butter Yes, right. You have to dominate left and right. Yes, you should know everything everything in depth of it Yes, now when it come for the politician roles as you know, you know, you have to be very diplomatic in certain circumstances Yes, even in your job role.
Also, you have to be very diplomatic Yes, now when it come for the AP session, there could be tricky questions that could be there could be there could be different answers Yes, right there could be a right answer there could be a wrong answer or sometimes it might be in between and it might be something that Even test your emotional intelligence. Exactly, right? So you have to be really playing the role of a Politician where you need to be very diplomatic when you are answering certain questions some tricky questions such as you know, they ask your opinion Yes, what do you think right?
Sometimes if you feel that okay, this is kind of a tricky question Then you have to quickly, you know switch into the politicians mode Yes, and you know, you need to handle the problem in a diplomatic manner Right, so it’s not only for the APC
Bilna:
Even if it’s while running a business or while being part of a job when you carry I think that I love the points you mentioned three roles actor politician and lawyer That’s nice.
I think this is a very good way of thinking for any professional or anybody in general who wants to be happy in life, I would say right and now coming to the Academic side of quantity survey I would say that I am an accidental QS because I come from India and I studied civil engineering and I’ve heard about QS as a profession before but there is no opportunity for us to learn there Now we have MIT University and that is just in the whole big country like India just one or two places They have that formal education Whereas I see from your country Sri Lanka you have that four-year degree as a proper Structure training program for right and I see a lot of QS has also come out from your industry But whereas from India you will see very few people who come as a trained QS And then they come here as an engineer and then they shift their journey as being a QS So what is your take on this, you know? How should different countries contribute to this industry?
Roshan:
Well, I would say We need come for a profession now Very well, let me very be be open. Yes Now when it comes for the engineers the perception the engineers should be from India Yes, when it comes the quantity survey in Middle East conceptions, right exactly wrong conceptions I want conception though and when it come for quantity service, they should be from Sri Lanka Yes, right. So any other profession from different and like so when it come for QA QC, it should be from the Philippines Yes, right.
I Think that is not the way that the industry should operate. Yes Wrong unwritten rule that happens As long as you blend the diversity into the industry the industry open up Chapter, we are the diverse The inputs will contribute in a greater scale to the successful Successfulness of the industry but sadly this has not been the case over the period of time But I am happy that the industry is gradually changing into that role. Yes, that should not be a case that you know a Particular nationality should have that profession.
Yes, but at the end of the day you need to blend each other, right? so if you are there could be different things now if you are if you if you have a Like say for example income for engineers if you come from one particular nation, yes You can easily see the politics within running within them. Yes, right Similar to the quantity serving as well.
So if you are if your organization is having only a particular nationality who is Then again that is going to Create a lot of political unnecessary kind of chaos. Yes. Yeah, so it’s it’s not the it’s not a good Way of dealing with the things.
Diversity in the Industry and Giving Back to Society
Bilna:
Yes now to wind up our Interview the last question is like related to this itself as a chartered surveyor, right like once somebody grows as a chartered surveyor What is your advice to them on giving back to the society or how can they contribute to the society? Or maybe like as a chartered surveyor, can I contribute to my own country and bring that education programs there or academic programs? What are the different thought processes?
Roshan:
Okay, I will before I touch into that. Let me just give a brief about About how you should approach your final interview the as I as I mentioned before It’s a process of you know, you can learn things from different different sources Yeah, right whether it’s through internet or you interact with somebody or you prefer video web now there are so many thousands of sources that you have available the real challenge that you will have as a Candidate who is facing your interview How can you concise all the information that you learn over the period of one year two year or maybe? Throughout your lifetime into that into that 60 minute Interview right interview and present before you know qualified panel, right? That is the real challenge Yes, right not writing your case study not writing a summary of experience not attending CPDs.
Yes This is the real challenge of if you don’t know the art as I told you if you don’t assume the role of these three Characters characters, then you are messed up.
Bilna:
Yes, right.
Roshan:
So that’s a bit of advice about that you would like to give and Coming back to the giving back to the society see What I believe the knowledge cannot be hidden anything new now, for example if I resist That I’m not going to share my knowledge to you. Yes, right. You will find another way to get the knowledge It’s a global forum.
Yes, that is what you should understand.
Continuous Learning and Professional Development
Bilna:
Yes.
Roshan:
Secondly, you need to understand that everybody is a human being Yes, right Even though we come in different nationalities different beliefs or different diversity at the end of it This is where we live so we don’t have another planet to go. Yes, right So when we are working together at the end of the day even though We studied from different different universities or different different groups It’s not only the source that you are here Yes, right. You are getting also input from different different people different societies different beliefs So at the end of the day, whatever things that you learn as long as you give to the society Yes, you will It’s not only contributing to the society, but also you are developing yourself Yes, no, just just to give a little bit of a brief about it now when you talk about me now when I keep on giving the lectures to my candidates Every now and then I am updated. Yes, right So because you have you have to stay updated and I have to be able to train them right now Like because my last season The one before this My contract administration Contract practice and contract administration competitor the CPD. It was just around I would say seven and a half hours Okay but this isn’t it went to almost in hours because a lot of new information is added because if you like Area like contract administration is just like ocean.
Yes It’s just not you know The wrong perception that most of the candidate has is that if I know fitting that is more than enough You know, but it is not just one part of it. Probably right. It’s just a standard form of contract Yes, when it come for the I mean the subject as Contract practice.
It is a ocean. Yes. Yeah, so you have to you know What are the trending topics and how are the what are the complexities that you have if you don’t know the depths of it Then you’re going out.
Yeah, you’re going.
Bilna:
Yes Thank you so much Roshan for this amazing time
About Post Author
