Profile - Trainee Quantity Surveyor

Michael, Nottingham

I work as part of the team dealing with the maintenance contract for our client, Centrica. Contractors will submit work that they have done on various sites around the UK. My responsibility is to check on an internet based system to make sure that the work they are claiming for is correct. This service involves carrying out site checks on a monthly basis.

One of the things I enjoy about my role is that I'm learning all the time and improving my knowledge. This helps me with my studies at college where I have just completed the 1st year of my HNC. Previous to this I have achieved an ONC. My current aspirations are to become a qualified Quantity Surveyor and go into project management.

I have always wanted to work in the construction industry. I researched the industry to investigate further the area I would like to pursue, and surveying and project management appealed to me the most. I find commercial construction the most appealing and when I got the chance to join Faithful+Gould, with the opportunity to train at work and day release, I took the opportunity with both hands!

The most interesting project I have worked on so far is the Tesco project. We project managed the new Tesco Super Stores which were built UK-wide. I assisted the Senior Quantity Surveyors and slowly learned how to measure drawings and produce financial spreadsheets. I also helped produce contracts and bills of quantities.

When I worked with the Tesco team I found it interesting that the different sites had different problems, and I learned how to solve these problems individually. I was interested in how these stores were made from start to finish. I learned a lot about the role of a Quantity Surveyor when I worked on this project, and I found this useful experience as this was my first year of working for Faithful+Gould.