We’ll always shout about one thing – how great it is to be a building surveyor. That’s why we’re delighted to share the story of the newest member of #TeamTrident, Alex Hammond.
Alex has joined our Leeds team as a building surveyor after a bold career change. Before joining us permanently, he spent a week on work experience with the team earlier this year, a week that convinced not just him, but us too, that Alex was a perfect fit for Trident.
We sat down with Alex to find out more about his journey into the industry.
Making the switch
“Before switching careers, I spent 10 years working in people, talent and HR roles, mainly within software consultancy businesses,” Alex tells us. “So it was basically the polar opposite of what I’m doing now!” he laughs.
Alex has always been interested in buildings, construction and how things are put together, which made the switch to building surveying feel like a natural fit.
“I’ve also got several friends and family who work in the industry, and I’ve always enjoyed having conversations with them about their work and learning more about what they do,” Alex shares.
“I’d enjoyed a decent career doing what I was doing previously, but I knew I needed to make a change, so I looked into what it would take to become a building surveyor. I spoke to people within the industry and what they described sounded really interesting, rewarding and varied. After doing more research and finally committing to the switch, I enrolled on an MSc in Building Surveying at Leeds Beckett University in September 2025, and I’ve been devoting my spare time to learning the trade ever since.”
Meeting #TeamTrident
At Trident, we love welcoming work experience students into our offices to shadow our team. Alex spent a week with our Leeds team, based at Carlton Tower, back in February to get some hands-on experience.
“I found out about Trident through a friend on my uni course,” Alex shares. “I had a look at their website and socials and decided to email the Director in Leeds – mainly asking for some advice and to do a bit of networking, and not really expecting a reply.”
“Within about an hour, I’d had a reply arranging to meet for a coffee and discuss the possibility of doing some work experience.”
Work experience
That coffee led to Alex spending a week with our Leeds team. “I got a great insight into the world of building surveying through a mixture of in-office and on-site activities. I visited three different sites over the course of the week and managed to draft some payment certificates, which was all really good experience.”
So, what was it about that week that made Alex want to join #TeamTrident?
“There seemed to be loads of variety across the different work and service lines that Trident offered. For somebody coming into the industry a bit later, the variation – and the opportunity to be exposed to different areas of surveying – really appealed to me. I also really enjoyed spending time with the team in and around the office, and the culture felt like something I could be a part of.”
Looking ahead
Now he’s settled into his role with us, Alex is excited to get stuck into the technical side of the role. “I’m most excited about getting to meet loads of new people, seeing different places, and being able to do some hands-on learning across a range of different technical competencies,” he adds. “It would also be quite cool to be able to do some drone surveys!”
To get in touch with Alex, or to find out more about our Leeds team and how they can support your projects, please visit our meet the team page.