Johnson Fellows gives graduate first big break

Leading retail specialists Johnson Fellows has given graduate Lee Mountford his first big break in the property sector.

Lee joined the Birmingham-based chartered surveyors just weeks after graduating in July with a 2:1 in Building Surveying from Nottingham Trent University.

Lee, aged 24, from Coventry, said: “I’m really grateful to Johnson Fellows for giving me my first big break, especially when I know that other people on my course are struggling to secure interviews or even work experience placements in their chosen field.”

While at university, Lee took part in a 12-month work placement and gained experience of designing small-scale developments, such as a server room and sub station.

The surveyor’s first task at Johnson Fellows was to help design the floor layout for two new Poundland stores, then apply for planning permission and building regulations approval.

Lee added: “Johnson Fellows doesn’t just specialise in one area, it has expertise across a broad spectrum, so it’s a great opportunity for me to practice the variety of skills I learned on my university course.”

Keen to progress further within the company, Lee has already registered for RICS APC to become a chartered surveyor, which he hopes to complete by October 2014.

He added: “I’m very excited about my future at Johnson Fellows – I’m know that I’m extremely lucky to be in a job that I want to be in and studied hard for.”