Retraining as a quantity surveyor.
Discussion
Got a first class civil engineering degree but my (freelance) day rates are poor compared to a QS, plus I'm disappointed with having a first class degree and not being remunerated for it. Kids - stay the hell away from civil engineering.
Basically I'm looking for a quick and dirty course to get me to a level where I can freelance off the bat; ideally the course needs to be a year or less and be completed part-time. Does any such programme exist or could I learn it from a book?
Basically I'm looking for a quick and dirty course to get me to a level where I can freelance off the bat; ideally the course needs to be a year or less and be completed part-time. Does any such programme exist or could I learn it from a book?
Look for a non-cognate masters conversion course. Heriot-Watt (used to?) do them up north. Not sure who does down south. MIght have been shout down now, though due to the recession.
Or, have a look at the APC competencies and think to yourself if you could get it through experience. Then you'd just need to find an employer willing to take you on in an assistant QS role while you get your two years of structured training under your belt (assuming you can pass the exam get get onto the APC). All the degree does is allows you to skip that initial exam. You'd still have to do the training to get to chartered.
Or, have a look at the APC competencies and think to yourself if you could get it through experience. Then you'd just need to find an employer willing to take you on in an assistant QS role while you get your two years of structured training under your belt (assuming you can pass the exam get get onto the APC). All the degree does is allows you to skip that initial exam. You'd still have to do the training to get to chartered.
Sir Lord Poopie said:
Got a first class civil engineering degree but my (freelance) day rates are poor compared to a QS, plus I'm disappointed with having a first class degree and not being remunerated for it. Kids - stay the hell away from civil engineering.
Basically I'm looking for a quick and dirty course to get me to a level where I can freelance off the bat; ideally the course needs to be a year or less and be completed part-time. Does any such programme exist or could I learn it from a book?
If you want to be a PQS there is a more formal procedure you should probably follow.Basically I'm looking for a quick and dirty course to get me to a level where I can freelance off the bat; ideally the course needs to be a year or less and be completed part-time. Does any such programme exist or could I learn it from a book?
Anyone can be a contractors QS without qualifications.
As a civil engineer who knows the ins and outs of how a building goes together in detail, I would suggest contractors would suit you more.
Letters after your name mean very little in the contractors world to be honest. I let mine lapse this year because they did f
k all for me and cost me a few hundred quid for the pleasure.Its probably unlikely you will be able to be taken on a freelance basis though without some years experience.
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