CICES vs. RICS in Surveying and Construction: Which Is Right For Your Career?
Understanding Professional Bodies in Land Surveying and Construction
When planning your career path in surveying and construction, two major professional organisations tend to come up in conversation - the Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (CICES) and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Many professionals ask us which membership would benefit them most. Based on our experience working across numerous construction projects in Hertfordshire and surrounding counties, we've compiled this straightforward comparison to help you decide.
One Project, Two Career Paths: How CICES and RICS Professionals Shape Infrastructure from Different Perspectives
CICES - Specialists in Civil Engineering Surveying
Core Focus: CICES concentrates specifically on civil engineering and construction surveying. If you're working with geospatial measurements and data collection on civil engineering projects, this is where CICES really shines.
Membership Structure: CICES offers clear membership levels from student through to fellow, with a straightforward route to chartered status demonstrating your expertise in civil engineering surveying.
Professional Development Opportunities: What we've found particularly useful with CICES is their targeted training and resources designed specifically for civil engineering surveyors. Their CPD events often address practical challenges we encounter on site.
Industry Presence: While CICES has international reach, it's particularly strong in regions where civil engineering and construction surveying are major industries.
RICS - The Broader Surveying Landscape
Core Focus: RICS takes a wider approach, covering everything from land and property to construction. Their membership includes professionals across many disciplines, including valuation, property management, and building surveying.
Membership Structure: With RICS, you'll find various membership categories, including associate, member, and fellow. Achieving chartered status (MRICS) is recognised globally across numerous surveying sectors and can open doors in multiple industries.
Professional Development Opportunities: From our perspective, RICS offers excellent professional development across a wider range of surveying disciplines beyond just construction or civil engineering. This breadth can be advantageous if you're looking to expand your skill set.
Industry Presence: RICS has significant global influence, setting standards and shaping policy in land, property, construction, and infrastructure worldwide. Their international standards provide consistent benchmarks across countries.
How They Differ: Specialist Focus vs. Broader Approach
Scope of Practice: In our work providing topographical surveys and setting out services, we've found CICES offers greater depth in civil engineering surveying, while RICS provides more breadth across different surveying disciplines. The UK Government guidance on land surveys illustrates this distinction well.
Learning Resources: Both organisations provide useful resources, but they're tailored to their specific areas. CICES had more practical, hands-on advice when we needed guidance on volume calculations. The ICE Knowledge Resources also provide valuable supplementary information.
Industry Influence: While both are respected, RICS has a broader international presence and influence across many surveying sectors. This can be valuable if you work on international projects or plan to take your career abroad.
Making Your Choice: Questions to Consider
When our team members consider which membership to pursue, we typically ask these questions:
What type of surveying work interests you most? If it's specifically civil engineering surveying, CICES might be the better fit.
Are you looking to specialise deeply or keep your options broader? CICES for specialisation, RICS for versatility.
Where do you see your career heading? Consider which organisation better aligns with your long-term goals.
What networking opportunities would benefit you most? Think about the connections you want to make.
Our Experience in the Field
We've found value in both organisations working on projects ranging from residential developments in Hertfordshire to infrastructure projects across Cambridgeshire and Essex. Several of our senior engineers maintain dual membership to benefit from the strengths of each body.
For instance, during a challenging piling project in Bedfordshire, the technical guidance from CICES on geotechnical monitoring and survey accuracy was crucial. Resources like the CICES Geospatial Engineering guidance offer valuable insight into real-world applications of surveying principles. Conversely, when working on a mixed-use development in London, the broader property expertise from RICS helped us coordinate more effectively with other professionals.
What's Right for You?
Both CICES and RICS offer valuable support for professionals in surveying and construction. Your choice should reflect your particular interests, career aspirations, and the specific area of surveying where you want to make your mark.
We'd love to hear your thoughts - which organisation did you choose, or which are you considering? Please share your experiences in the comments.
Let's Talk About Your Next Project
Got a construction project on the horizon in Hertfordshire or the surrounding counties? We'd love to chat about how our land surveying and setting out expertise can help you get it right from the ground up. Our team has worked on everything from small residential developments to major infrastructure projects across Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and beyond.
Pop over to our website to see examples of our work or give us a call for a no-pressure conversation about your requirements.