Profile: Adrian Comaromi
Course: MSc in Surveying
Job: Contract Administrator, Muscat International and Salalah Airports Project
Employer: COWI Partners LLC, Sultanate of Oman
Why CEM?
As a then employee of one of the largest cost consultants in the UK, I was offered the opportunity to go through their own graduate development scheme (NGDS), with a view to achieving MRICS status. Given my technical background, the need to both refi ne and certify my commercial skills, and the fact that Gardiner & Theobald have traditionally worked with CEM as one of the best-established institutions of its kind, meant that the College was an obvious alternative choice.
Why distance learning?
In an era where access to information has become readily available through the Internet, distance learning is ideal when you have a demanding job. It offers a great deal of flexibility, as you can manage your own time and plan your study and submissions around both your job requirements
The course
I enrolled with a view to obtaining an internationally recognised qualifi cation that would ease my way through job interviews; this did, indeed, prove to be effective in differentiating myself from the rest of the pack. The quality of the course really makes the difference, as you take away and apply many of the things you learn on a daily basis. I have always worked as a commercial person on construction projects, but the course has given me the opportunity to perfect my skills and improve my outputs a lot.
Last but not least, it also allowed me to become a professional member of RICS, again one of the things that puts you in front, in terms of recognition and better job prospects.
The benefits
The best things about the course were its quality and its flexibility. The amount of information is massive, but
The qualification immediately improved my career path, in that I have been able to fi nd better and more senior positions, and it has helped me to relocate to Oman to work on a £multibillion project. Financially and career-wise this master’s degree, and subsequent MRICS status, has helped me to climb to new heights.
The support structure
I received full support from my employer, in both financial and practical study terms, e.g. lectures organised by the company with regard to mandatory RICS competencies supplemented the course and also helped with my assignments.
Being Romanian I am not a native English speaker but, as I was already a graduate of an English-taught university curriculum, studying at CEM felt natural. The course also helped me gain a better understanding of English law and commercial terms, so I am better able to tackle meetings and reports. Minordiffi culties arose when job and study workloads peaked at the same time; however CEM-offered time extensions, constructive comments and valuable advice meant that all was well at the end of the day.
The future
Although at times you may feel overwhelmed by the task, carry on and it will pay off eventually – it is possible if you have the will and determination. Having been through the course I am now reaping the rewards and can now relax and enjoy the benefi ts my efforts produced, and will do so for a while until I embark on my next endeavour, becoming a chartered arbitrator.
The College helped me to fulfil my dream, that of being involved in a megaproject and doing my job well. A qualification like this makes the world your oyster and can allow you to move around, see interesting places, meet different people and experience different cultures. Such a qualification gives you the wings; it depends on each person how those wings are put to use. I am now contemplating my next big challenge.