Built at Watts: Alex Dowey’s Career Journey
Alex Dowey
Alex Dowey joined Watts as a Graduate Building Surveyor in 2012. Thirteen years later, he is a Senior Associate Director. His journey offers an insight into what brought him into the profession, the realities of working toward Chartership, and the responsibility that Watts provides to early-career professionals.
From graduate level through to leadership, Alex’s progression shows how talent is recognised, nurtured and retained, offering a clear pathway for those starting out in the built environment.
The Early Foundations
Alex’s career in building surveying began with a childhood delight in constructing things. What started with Lego projects at an early age would soon develop into a lifelong fascination with construction and the built environment. While Alex was originally set on pursuing a trade, his strong academic results opened the door to a degree in Building Surveying, a path that would allow him to turn his childhood passion into a long-standing career at Watts.
The decision to study building surveying gave Alex the grounding he needed to move into the industry. As a part of his studies, he spent a year working with the Southern Health and Social Care Trust, gaining practical experience that would later prove invaluable. In 2012, Alex joined Watts as a Graduate Building Surveyor in the Belfast office.
Laying the Groundwork
From the outset, Alex was given meaningful responsibility. He supported stock condition surveys, monitored small construction projects and worked directly with clients from brief to completion, gaining practical understanding while being supported by experienced colleagues.
“That’s how I learned on the job,” he says. “By being trusted early on and seeing projects start to finish.”
Setting the Standard
Having learned through hands-on experience, working towards Chartership became a natural progression for Alex. Encouraged and supported by Watts to take the next step in his professional development, he saw Chartership as a commitment to the standards of the profession.
“Anyone in our profession wants to become chartered,” Alex reflects. “Although it is demanding work, you’re studying in your own time, building experience and demonstrating competence across every area. Not everyone finds it easy.”
Throughout the process, Alex found himself returning to the Watts Pocket Handbook as a practical reference, using it to support learning gained on the job. By the time he reached his final assessment, he was able to draw confidently on real project experience, supported by the two- year competency diary required to demonstrate consistent, professional standards in practice. Passing at the first attempt in 2018 was a rewarding moment for Alex.
Growing Responsibility
Achieving Chartership marked a turning point in Alex’s role at Watts. With increased responsibility came the opportunity to support and guide junior colleagues, stepping into a position where he was overseeing work he had once carried out himself. Having progressed through the graduate pathway himself, Alex understands the importance of supporting the next generation, something he now actively contributes to within the team.
As his experience and responsibilities grew, Alex began to play a wider role within the business. This progression was reflected in his promotion to Associate Director in 2022.
Over the years, Alex has worked across a wide range of projects, but one that stands out was a scheme for his former university. Working with the nursing school, he helped develop a mock ward environment to support students in practical learning. The project required close engagement with the healthcare setting through site visits and client liaison, an environment he already knew well from his time working in hospitals during his university years.
Built to Last at Watts
Outside of professional life, Alex is married with a young daughter and rewinds by playing football for his local team. Looking ahead, his focus remains on continuing to develop within the business, with an ambition to one day lead a Watts Group office.
Reflecting on his time at Watts, Alex points to consistency and people as defining factors. “It’s always been a solid organisation,” he says. “There’s continuity in leadership, and the company does things the right way. From the outset you can see how a career can develop here. People are approachable and supportive, and that comes through in how Watts is viewed by clients and others in the industry”.
For those starting their careers, Alex’s journey demonstrates that Watts is a place where progression is not only possible, it is actively supported.