Gaining More QS Experience...

[Maxeh]

Hi guys,

I am just about to start the second (final) year of my HND in Quantity Surveying and I want to get some more hands on experience ready for when I graduate.

I have worked for a main contractor previous to starting University full time with time spent at the Olympic Park.

Any ideas which Southern based contractors are worth contacting to put me into a better position this time next year?

[craigb84]

Have you thought yet about what you're going to do after the HND?

I started at 17 doing everything part time right through to Degree and can't recommend it enough. If you're lucky you'll find a decent employer that will pay for your degree and let you take a day per week to attend uni.

I think most QSs would tell you the same. If full time uni is your thing though then fair enough. It's one thing I missed out on but I've got way more cash than I would have had.

Balfour Beatty used to run a graduate scheme. Maybe contact them?

[hewlett]

It's be worthwhile you getting onto one of the places where you can register/find work experience placements:

www.prospects.ac.uk
www.experienceworks.co.uk

And Job Centre Plus will now pay for travel and subsistence whilst you're working for free, they need to set it up though so you give them the details, they check out the employer and you eventually get your costs covered - it's a little known government scheme

[khushy]

do your research - www.cnplus.co.uk or www.building.co.uk have all the contractor contacts you could ever wish for.

Get your degree!

[Lefty]

I agree with the other posters about getting your degree!

Don't limit yourself to the building industry though

[LiveLife]

I'd recommend gaining as much experience as you can in different sectors; civils, building, rail, power etc.

You'll have a far broader knowledge of the different forms of contract, differing cost reporting systems etc and be far more employable and mobile as a result. The skills required of a beancounter differ little across the various sectors, tender compilation and analysis, package management, cost reporting / forecasting and final account negotiations.

[craigb84]

LiveLife said:

I'd recommend gaining as much experience as you can in different sectors; civils, building, rail, power etc.

You'll have a far broader knowledge of the different forms of contract, differing cost reporting systems etc and be far more employable and mobile as a result. The skills required of a beancounter differ little across the various sectors, tender compilation and analysis, package management, cost reporting / forecasting and final account negotiations.

Totally agree. My only regret was staying in house building for so long but I got out of that field and into main contracting. Far more interesting!

I want to try and get into nuclear power or oil and gas now...or more into consulting / cost management. As you say though, it rarely makes a difference with the project type as the majority of day to day stuff is much the same across the board.

[Mattt]

My aim was to switch as much as possible (within reason), so within a matter of a few years I've done retail building/refurbishment, commercial offices, oil & gas, nuclear & water in a variety of countries - and roles within those from Asst QS to Project QS to Framework QS, and now I work as a Contract Manager.

I've done pretty well for myself I believe, especially when I compare against my peers from University - most of them are still with the same company, maybe on the same project, earning the same money as they started on.

Next I think it's contracting for me, once I finally get round to finishing my APC - I always put it off to the next session, then the next etc etc.