Five students on Carter Jonas’ Graduate Training Scheme have passed their ‘Assessment of Professional Competence’ (APC) exams first time.

The successful graduates are: Arthur Chambers (Chippenham); Nick Barber (Peterborough); Lydia Baugh (Shrewsbury); Edward Pettit-Mills (Oxford); and George Burnett-Armstrong (York).

The APC exam is an important part of the rigorous process a candidate must complete to become a professional Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Comprising a period of structured training, during which candidates must complete at least 400 days' relevant practical work, the culmination of the process is a final, rigorous interview to test the candidate’s application of their newly acquired professional knowledge.

Edward Petit-Mills, in the firm’s Oxford office, commented: “I was as prepared as you can be for the exam. The support I received from Carter Jonas has helped me throughout the process and without a doubt helped me to pass my exams first time.”

George Burnett-Armstrong, from Carter Jonas’ firm’s York office, commented: “Choosing the right firm is important, as without the right help and advice your chances of passing your APC first time are slim. Through Carter Jonas I was given encouragement from both my councilor and supervisor to attend training days, I was given time off before my exam and was given practice interviews by several different offices within the firm.”

Phillip Nicholson, a Partner at Carter Jonas and head of the firm’s Graduate Training Scheme, commented: “These first time passes are a credit to our graduates as well as to all of the professional staff at Carter Jonas who helped in teaching and coaching them through the long training process.

“We are committed to maintaining the highest standards in our graduate training scheme; preparing the next generation of professionals to continue to meet and exceed the needs of our clients.”