Any Quantity Surveyors in the house?

[B-Reight]

The initial message was deleted from this topic on 14 January 2010 at 17:54

[B-Reight]

The initial message was deleted from this topic on 14 January 2010 at 17:55

[Tonberry]

Google will tell you most things you need to know to be honest.

Your apc is part of the way to becoming a chartered surveyor. In other words you need to pass a few assesments with the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). No walk in the park but that won't be a until a few years. For more info take a look on the RICS website.

As a trainee quantitiy surveyor, expect to start on around £20,000. This will rise in time depending on who you are working for and at what level. The majority of quantity surveyos within the construction industry earn around £40,000 P/A at a senior level.

I'm guessing you will be working for a contractor as opposed to a client (local authority for example).

In this case the work can be pretty fast paced and almost even cut-throat as you are expected to perform.

As for progression...the majority of project managers I know within the construction industry are former quantity surveyors. To put it simply it's not for everyone.

If you want to know anything more specific, ask I'll try to answer.

[Collectingbrass]

B-Reight said:

I wonder if any QSs could give me some advice regarding the job, i've been offered a position as a trainee QS and would like to find out more about the job, pay progression and prospects.

I was made redundant just before xmas (from a different industry)and I've not been involved in the construction industry before. I have a degree already but apparently would have to do a part time conversion course (which the company will pay for) at uni and then an apc(?) which i gather is some kind of on the job training.

All info and advice gratefully recieved.

There's no reason why you can't make the switch in this way, many do. Indeed this sounds like my employer's career path, though normally only when they are desperate for warm bodies. Can you memo me the prospective employer's name, it would be nice to know who's recruiting ;-)

Generally according to those who know (or should do..) the construction industry is in the stter and will be there till the end of 2010 / 2011. London and the South East might see a bounce from the Olympics in 2012, the North will see less of this but might get off more lightly from cuts if Labour get back in, but construction spending will be static till after the election I think, as people wait to see what colour government we have and what that means for taxes and cuts*. What this points to for you is that you should ask them what guarantees of employment do you have after you have passed your APC - you are cheaper to employ for much the same output / charge out before you pass...

* personnaly I think we're fked which ever way it goes but there you are.