Two young Manchester property professionals have won national accolades for their outstanding career achievements and unwavering commitment to inspire future talent after beating tough competition from over 80 shortlisted surveyors, from all over the UK, at the annual RICS Matrics Young Surveyor of the Year Awards (YSOYA).
Tom Hodgkins of Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB) and Steve Waltho of Turner & Townsend won the Apprentice of the Year title and Mentor of the Year accolade respectively at the YSOYA, which recognise the most talented and influential young surveyors – aged 35 or under – in the UK.
RICS Judges praised Apprentice of the Year winner, Tom Hodgkins of RLB for demonstrating initiative, maturity and a pro-active business approach well beyond his years. At 18-years old, this has led him to him becoming a talented building apprentice and specialist in design containment laboratories. Tom was also recognised for helping to deliver STEM events, actively promoting the surveying profession to university students and consistently exceeding client expectations thanks to his exceptional technical capability and commercial awareness.
Mentor of the Year winner, Steve Waltho has mentored over 50 young professionals, despite being a partner at Turner & Townsend who manages 13 business unit leaders across the UK. Steve’s mentoring approach was recognised by RICS Judges as one of positivity and helping mentees to create solutions which can be utilised for a variety of benefits from winning work, developing a new sector, technology or manging a team or department. One of his mentees described him as a ‘born leader who inspires all he meets.’
Scottish TV presenter and Invictus Games medallist, JJ (John-James) Chalmers hosted the celebratory black-tie event held on Thursday 28 November at the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington, London. The ten category awards up for grabs on the night covered a variety of surveying sectors and disciplines, with Tom and Steve the only two winners* from the North West. The overall esteemed ‘UK Young Surveyor of the Year’ title went to Blane Perrotton, Managing Director of Pride Consultancy IMS Ltd in London.
Head of the judging panel, Natasha Tyler of Powell Williams, and Chair of the RICS UK Matrics Board – a networking and support group for young surveyors – said: “Surveying professionals play a vital role in creating and maintaining our built environment to ensure it has a positive impact on communities and people’s lives. Both Tom and Steve’s hard work and unwavering commitment to help boost skills and standards in the industry is testament to this important role that our profession has on society.
“All of our winners – and their employers – should be incredibly proud of what they have achieved as future leaders of the surveying profession, who are not only having a profoundly positive impact on their respective markets and workplaces, but also going above and beyond to help ensure our industry attracts and retains the brightest talent.”
