If you had told me five years ago that by April 2022 I would be nearly finishing my first year as an apprentice quantity surveyor at one of the leading construction, property and management consultancies, I would never have believed you. Here I am aged 20, on track to graduate with a degree in QS in 2024, possibly heading towards a master’s in Mechanical and Electrical Quantity Surveying or Building Information Modelling.
My professional journey to this point is one of determination, support from both RLB and IM Properties, that RLB work extensively within the Midlands, and a sprinkle of luck of being in the right place and the right time. In September 2020, I had just been accepted on a BSC in Quantity Surveying at Birmingham City University and was looking at ways of how I could get support while I studied when I came across the Building Birmingham Scholarship (BBS), run by Birmingham City Council. I applied and a few weeks later had an interview and was introduced to IM Properties which sponsors the scholarship. A few weeks later, I was contacted to tell me that I was selected, and I was offered a scholarship plus a placement and a personal mentor in the form of Steve Farr at IM Properties.
Through Steve, I was introduced to RLB, who IM Properties works with on their Peddimore and Mercia Park developments. RLB handled the Project Management and Quantity Surveying services and their knowledge and experience in supporting clients such as IM Properties really impressed me and supported my understanding of the sector, how consultancies can really work collaboratively with clients to bring long term solutions to projects as well as a wider knowledge of some of the key elements for building for the future such as the sustainability agenda, social value and community impact of builds and the like.
The RLB team also really supported me in terms of my career progression, nurturing my talent and looking at opportunities to help me build my confidence and knowledge base. So, when my placement came to an end, I enquired about possibly transferring to their Apprenticeship scheme and recognising my ambition, in July 2021 they offered me an Apprenticeship in Quantity Surveying.
I’m on track to graduate with my degree in Quantity Surveying in 2024, after that I will go for my Chartership and then maybe a Master’s degree in Mechanical and Electrical Quantity Surveying or Building Information Modelling. I want to get to a senior level within the industry and there is a lot of demand for those more technical roles as buildings get more advanced in their design and functions.
One year on, I am so thankful for all the support from the teams at IM Properties and RLB for showing me what a great industry the built environment is to work in as well as seeing my potential and giving me a pathway to progress that potential.
