BUILDING ON HER DREAMS

WITH no clue whatsoever what she wanted to do with her career, Beckiie Woodend was told she’d always be a waitress. Taking that as a challenge, she dared to dream big and now mum-of-two Beckiie, 25, from Bradford, is assistant quantity surveyor for Leeds firm Oculis Construction Consultants.

What does your job involve on day to day?

I carry out so many different things every day. As a quantity surveyor (QS) my main roles include liaising with clients and measuring buildings from drawings, and creating cost plans which help clients have a rough guide on how much their project is likely to cost once it is built.

I prepare drawdowns which help clients receive their funding from the bank and carry out payment certificates from payment applications received from subcontractors.

Every month I attend site and carry out measures so clients are aware of how much work has been done and then they can pay contractors the correct amount.

At the moment my main tasks include procurement, which is going out for materials for the cheapest possible price and quickest lead time, so it doesn’t affect the timetabled programme.

What do you love about it?

No day is the same and I’m constantly dealing with so many different people from so many backgrounds, including suppliers, site operatives and clients. There’s never a dull moment.

When did you decide this was the career for you?

Funnily enough when I first decided to be a QS I had no idea what one was or what they did. I thought I wanted to be a vet or a wedding planner but I didn’t want to go to university, and once I had finished my A-levels I had no idea what I wanted to be so I became a waitress. I was 19.

At the time, my ex-partner was applying for different quantity surveying roles and I remember his mum saying she never saw me in a career and I would always be a waitress. I thought “just watch me!”

I applied for different QS roles and although I didn’t succeed, I took myself to Leeds College of Building in the hope they would help me find a role. Once I got to college, a fellow student put me forward to his employer and asked if there was a position available. There was and I have been here ever since.

What qualifications did you have?

I didn’t have any construction qualifications, and my highest were Level 3 BTECS, the vocational equivalent to A-levels, in which I got a Distinction* in Sports and a D in applied Science.

I’m also proud to say that two children later (Layla is four and Elias is one), I am now in my final year at university ready to become fully qualified.

Amazingly last week I won the Construction Student of the Year award from Pearson BTEC which I was nominated for by one of my lecturers. I also won Construction Industry Training Board student award. I feel so proud of myself.

How do you manage to juggle it all?

Working full time and studying, with two children and a partner I care for after he had an accident, can be very challenging but I get where I need to every day.

When I first started out it was just me and it was easy and then I met my partner and we had Layla very quickly.

My motivation swiftly changed to wanting to do everything for her and making her proud, showing her that you can achieve anything that you put your mind to.

Now I have my son and I just push on for both my children. It is hard but I have an amazing support network around me with my family.

My employer is also very understanding and everyone I work with backs me up with whatever I need to achieve.

My colleagues are just amazing and we are all like one big family who support each other.

Opting to do the BTEC work allowed me to do the best job I possibly could

Why do you recommend BTECS and vocational learning?

Speaking for myself I personally struggled with the pressures of the exams when I took my GCSES. Opting to do the BTEC work relieved me of those pressures and allowed me to take my time and do the best job I possibly could.

I can’t recommend them highly enough – they gave me what I needed to get where I am today.

Contacts

Pearson BTEC – pearson.com CITB – citb.co.uk

SURVEYOR Beckiie juggles kids and being a carer with her job