Rating
- 1. Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
- 2. Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
- 3. To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
- 4. How well organised/structured is your programme?
- 5. How much support do you receive from your employer?
- 6. How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
- 7. How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
- 8. Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
- 9a. Would you recommend BAM to a friend?
- 9b. Why?
- 10. What tips or advice would you give to others applying to BAM?
My role as a Quantity Surveyor generally consists of dealing with subcontracts. This means I will often be liaising with the Engineering team to understand what work has been completed. I will then proceed to calculate and process the payment that the subcontractor is entitled to. Other tasks that I complete regularly are making sure project records such as staff attendance sheets, are up-to-date and in order. Additionally, I will be helping Quantity Surveyors that are more senior with other tasks. For example helping them to price compensation events.
One of the main skills I have developed in my position is my computer skills. As a Q.S a lot of your time will be spent using excel amongst other computer software. Also when studying in Leeds I feel my social skills were developed greatly due to the amount of time I got to spend with other apprentices. Additionally it has benefited my time management skills as when studying you have to become accustomed to getting assignments in on time.
I am really enjoying the programme I am currently involved in. Whilst studying at college I like being able to learn, meeting new people and being able to explore the city of Leeds. I also really enjoy the practical side of my programme because I am able to be a part of major construction projects and benefit from my experienced colleagues.
The programme is well structured, I know within plenty of time when I will be on placement and when I will be in college. I enjoy that the year is split between time in college and time on site. I think this is better for learning purposes as it enables you to solely concentrate on learning when at college and then concentrate on work when you are on site, instead of comparable day release programmes.
I receive a great amount of support from colleagues on site as well as the Apprenticeship team. On site I feel comfortable speaking to anyone about any questions or concerns I have. Also I can contact the Apprenticeship team all year round for similar reasons. Therefore I think the support that Bam Nuttall provides is very extensive.
Whilst working towards my qualification, the tutors provide plenty of help for me with all the course work I have to complete. If I ever find something difficult or do not understand something, I know I am able to approach my tutors and they will be able to help me.
The knowledge I attain when working towards my qualification has greatly enabled my transition into the role. Obviously, there was plenty to learn when I began work in my placement. However, my qualifications have given me a good base of knowledge to expand on and I hope to continue to do so.
The college block period is a great time to get involved with social activities. You are constantly around your apprentice friends and other students making it is easy to organise social activities between yourselves. Bam will also organise social events such as meals which is another great time to socialise.
Yes
I would thoroughly recommend Bam because they are a great company who support you the whole way through your career. They are involved with large projects around the country, which are very interesting to be a part of. The Apprenticeship scheme is also unique in that it enables you to get the best of both worlds, as you are able to have the student experience as well as being able to work normally on site with experienced colleagues.
The best advice I can give to someone who would like to apply to the scheme is to be yourself, be enthusiastic and show your willingness to work hard. For the interview be well prepared with questions, knowledge of the company and also the industry you are applying to work in.
Details
Higher Level Apprenticeship
Construction
Salisbury
April 2020