Build up knowledge — and the sky’s the limit
INVESTMENT in construction and civil engineering has seen demand for quantity surveyors soar.
With £500billion of projects in the pipeline over the next five years, the demand for people to manage costs is high.
Derek Scott, of the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) and director of construction recruiter Project Resource, says: ‘We need a lot more quantity surveyors.’
Ryan Muldoon, 27, a quantity surveyor (QS) at Domis Property Group, says: ‘I started as a trainee aged 17, took a BTEC in construction, an HNC in building production technology, then a degree in quantity surveying — all completed on day release from work and my employer paid.
‘I like the combination of working in the office and being on site, and it’s rewarding completing projects on time and to forecasted profit margins.
‘I enjoy being solely responsible for the commercial aspects on multimillion-pound projects — plus the rewards I get through remuneration and benefits.’ Stuart Wigg, co-founder and director of Debussy Property Services, which employs quantity surveyors, explains: ‘We look for candidates with strong people skills and chartered qualifications. They need commercial acumen, an eye for detail and the ability to communicate.’
There is the opportunity to gain chartered status through the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, which can increase employability and earnings. Pay for graduate entry-level trainees starts at £25,000 and can reach more than £150,000 for a partner at a professional QS practice.
FoR details, visit rics. org/uk, project-resource. co.uk/candidate