Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) is required for candidates to become a chartered surveyor and gain MRICS status with the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). The RICS APC ensures that candidates are competent and meet the highest standards of professionalism to become chartered surveyors. To be competent to practise as an RICS member, candidates must have the competencies and potential to perform a wide range of tasks or functions. The RICS competencies are not only a list of tasks or functions, but also relate to attitudes and behaviours. Candidates must explain their competencies within the context of their own area, practice, specialism, or geography. The APC Assessment process involves the process below:
- A period of APC-structured training
- Maintaining a record of continuing professional development (CPD)
- Submitting a summary of experience and a case study report
- Attending a final assessment interview
Download ⇒ APC-Candidate-Guide
CDRAustralia.Org offers a comprehensive guide to writing an APC assessment report for successful assessment with RICS in United Kingdom, enabling candidates to become Members of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS). As a professional support team, we offer personalised solutions, helping applicants craft a summary of experience and a case study report effectively and efficiently. As experienced helpers, we know how to draft an assessment report precisely and uniquely, ensuring their successful assessment. With a commitment to quality and close attention to detail, we ensure that every aspect of the APC assessment report is authentic, accurate, and follows the guidelines strictly.
How to Write An APC Summary of Experience?
In summary of experience, candidates must write a concise statement about each of the mandatory and technical competencies. They must write a maximum of 1500 words for their mandatory competencies and a maximum of 4000 words for their technical competencies. They must categorise their competencies into these two categories (mandatory and technical) and define each competency at three levels of attainment.
Mandatory Competencies:
They are the personal, interpersonal, professional practice and business skills common to all pathways and compulsory for all candidates. The mandatory competencies consist of the following:
- Ethics, rules of conduct and professionalism
- Client care
- Communication and negotiation
- Health and safety
- Accounting principles and procedures
- Business planning
- Conflict avoidance, management and dispute resolution procedures
- Data management
- Diversity, inclusion and teamworking
- Inclusive environments
- Sustainability
Technical Competencies:
These competencies are split into core competencies and optional competencies.
- Core competencies are the primary technical skills of their chosen surveying pathways
- Optional competencies are the additional skills selected from the relevant list of competencies.
As each competency is described at three levels of attainment, candidates must apply logical progression and successive stages to reach the required level.
Level 1 – Knowledge and Understanding:
Candidates must provide a detailed statement of learning that specifies how they gained the knowledge and understanding.
Level 2 – Application of Knowledge and Understanding:
Candidates must provide a statement of the range of experience they have attained and attach the real-life project process instances.
Level 3 – Reasoned Advice and Depth of Knowledge:
Candidates must provide a comprehensive statement of the advice they have given and include a real-life project instance in which they have actually given advice.
Download ⇒ APC-Summary-of-experience-template
How to Write An APC Case Study?
The case study must be about a project or task candidates have undertaken in the last 2 years before the assessment submission date. It must state a critical appraisal of the project(s) together with an outline of their learning outcomes. It presents important evidence of the competencies they have achieved. A case study must be no more than 3000 words. It must provide in-depth evidence of the applicant’s ability to work competently and to apply the knowledge relevant to the pathway. It must include the following sections:
Introduction:
Candidates need to provide a summary of the project and describe their role in it. They must consider writing this section in approx. 500 words and answer the questions below:
- What did you do?
- What was your level of responsibility?
- Who were the stakeholders?
- What was the timeline?
My Approach:
Candidates must illustrate the key issues or challenges they faced throughout the project. They need to write about one or more key issues, but remember they have a limited word count for the case study. They need to explain the problems and make it clear to the assessors why it became a challenge for them. They should include the options they considered and the solutions they identified, and explain why some options were not feasible.
My Achievement:
Candidates must explain what they achieved and how they achieved that. They are required to demonstrate their ability to think logically, laterally and professionally, providing examples of where they gave reasoned advice to a client for their level 3 competencies.
Conclusion:
Candidates should reflect on and assess their performance and make reference to the lessons they learnt and what they would do differently next time. It is the critical section that showcases assessors their analytical thinking and how they develop as professionals. The assessors use the case study as a starting point to question candidates beyond what they actually did, probing their comprehension of the project’s key issues. They need to consider these processes when writing their case study so they are well-prepared for the interview.
Download ⇒ APC-Case-Study-Template
How To Frame An APC CPD Statement?
Continuing professional development (CPD) is the systematic approach to update and enhance skills, knowledge and competence that takes place throughout working life. It should be closely linked to the current work. Candidates can split their CPD between formal development (e.g., professional courses, seminars, or online events) and informal development (e.g., private study or on-the-job training). They are required to complete a minimum of 48 hours of CPD every 12 months.
How To Prepare For The Final Assessment Interview?
The interview is generally administered by a panel of assessors comprising a minimum of two (maximum three) RICS chartered professionals, trained and selected for the assessment interview. The interview takes place via video call and lasts 1 hour. It is generally designed to ensure whether:
- Candidates can express themselves clearly in oral presentations and interviews.
- They can demonstrate, in support of their written submissions, their understanding of the knowledge gained and competencies acquired throughout the training.
- They have an acceptable understanding of the role and responsibilities of a chartered surveyor.
- They can apply their professional and technical abilities to benefit those who hire them.
The assessor generally questions what the candidate did and why they took a particular approach. They also ask about their understanding of the wider issues surrounding their case study. After the assessment, candidates can receive their results within seven days of the interview.
Related Link ⇒ How To Get RICS Assessment in UK?