Build up your skills to join the boom . . .
DUE to the construction boom, quantity surveyors are in demand, handling cost estimating, planning and commercial management for construction projects.
‘This is a career where transferable skills are valuable, with candidates from technology, engineering or maths-based degrees,’ says Ann Swain, of the Association of Professional Staffing Companies.
Construction recruiter Contract Scotland is offering permanent, freelance and fixedterm jobs. It reports high demand for experienced professionals, and many openings for graduates, students and apprentices, especially for quantity surveyors.
David Patey, 26, an assistant quantity surveyor with construction company BAM Nuttall in Aberdeenshire, says: ‘I am fascinated by the evolution of construction projects from ideas to complete structures.
‘I studied a postgraduate conversion course that is accredited by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. After a work experience placement through Contract Scotland, I was offered a job.
‘I like the variety of tasks, and it’s rewarding to contribute to the completion of construction projects.’ Graeme Angus, commercial manager at BAM Nuttall, says: ‘Qualifications are important, but we look for a willingness to learn, determination, commitment and an appetite to grow into our culture.’
Salaries start at £17,000 to £20,000 and can reach £80,000-plus for senior commercial positions.
contractscotland.co.uk; rics.org