Chapter 3 Introduction to SCS/APC

Introduction

This chapter introduces the reader to the general concept of The Society of Chartered Surveyors and explores their development and break away from the RICS; it also looks at the society’s breakdown structure. It goes on to highlight the help and support (if any) they offer to employers, counsellor’s supervisors and probationers, involved in the APC process.

History of the SCS

In 1881, the Royal Institution of chartered surveyors (RICS) established compulsory professional qualifying examinations for its professional associates and fellows and the first of the examinations were held in that year. 14 years later in 1895 when a small group of Irish surveyors amalgamated with the RICS the SCS was born in earnest. “The society remained a branch of the RICS until 1993, when it became an independent body granting its own qualifications”. (http://www.scs.ie/ 2006).

So what is the SCS?
According to (http://www.scs.ie/) the main duty of the society is “establishing and maintaining the professional standards of its members”.

What does the SCS Do?
The society is the professional body in Ireland for Chartered Surveyors and as the RICS do worldwide, the society “regulates the profession in the public interest and oversees all aspects of the profession from education through to qualification, and the continuous maintenance of the highest professional standards”(www.scs.ie). Along with this, it publishes and has input in several articles.

How does the SCS regulate the profession?
The SCS is a professional body based in Ireland. It has some 1400 fully qualified members and a further 800-1200 training at any one time. The APC is the process by which the SCS deems a student/probationer eligible to practice as a Chartered Surveyor.
In order to qualify as a Chartered Surveyor a candidate must:
Obtain a degree or diploma accredited by the SCS.
Fulfil specific academic criteria in one of the professional specialist areas encompassed by the institution.
On completion of your degree, you have to undergo a period of training in employment approved by the SCS, concluding with a successful assessment of readiness to undertake professional practice.

EDUCATION (Diploma/Degree)
+
TRAINING (Employment + APC)
=
SCS

Source: The College of Estate Management CPD “The APC” (1996).

The Evolution of the APC.
The APC is derived from the gradual evolution of the qualification process. This grew from the need only to pass a series of examinations or obtain a degree which gave exemption from the examinations, to the addition of a practical test after a suitable post examination period of practice and finally to a prescriptive requirement to undertake specified professional experience prior to the test. In 1990 the test which had been mainly in the form of a theoretical practice problem that was addressed in examination conditions, was phased out and replaced by an interview. “The interview was a matter of judgement down to the three man panel and as such it was concluded that the word ‘assessment’ as opposed to ‘test’ was more appropriate”. Thus the evolution of the title to APC.

The purpose of the APC.
The purpose of the APC may be summarised as follows: “to ensure that only those who have achieved an acceptable level of proficiency in carrying out the work of a professionally qualified surveyor are admitted to corporate membership of the institution”. Plimmer (2003) commented “the policy of the RICS should therefore be to require a high standard of education as a qualification for membership, in order that the fact of being a member may be an earnest of superior competence and skill, as well as of good character… In short, membership should be considered a distinction, not only by the profession but by the public at large”.
To summarise the aim of the SCS is to ensure that, in carrying out the assessment, the society’s reputation and that of its 1400 practising members is in safe hands.

How to enter the SCS
A prerequisite for the APC is that candidates must be in suitable employment, which provides some or all of the mandatory professional experience specified in the APC documentation, and provides that experience under acceptably qualified supervision.