Trainee Quantity Surveyor Review

My overall role at Sisk is to assist the surveyors and take responsibility of my own small packages on site. Each day is very varied and differs depending on what stage the project is at etc. I get to assist on lots of different tasks from procurement of packages, live site work, attending site meetings and paying invoices to name just a few. I also spend 1 day a week studying towards my degree in Quantity Surveying.

I have learnt numerous skills since starting my apprenticeship from both my job role and also my university work. The key to being able to learn effectively is organisation as there are a lot of things to balance at the same time as you will always have job responsibilities, university assignments and home/social life responsibilities at the same time to manage.

I thoroughly enjoy my apprenticeship as I get the best of both worlds. I am able to study and gain a degree whilst also gaining practical experience in a real work environment, where I am paid. This means that when I finish my degree I will already have 5 years work experience at the same time putting me in a better position to succeed in my role.

The structure of the programme is very well organised. I am able to choose which day per week I use as my study day meaning it is flexible to change depending on what else I have going on that week. Generally I will use the same day each week unless there is an exception so that I keep in routine. Because the content is all online I am able to access the degree material from anywhere at anytime meaning if I have any spare time I can get on with some work. The flexibility is very good.

My employers support is constant and they provide numerous resources and activities to make sure that all employees feel valued and are well looked after. Mental health and wellbeing is paramount to Sisk and they have lots of different policies, activities and helplines all year round. They also make sure that everyone is treated fairly and give opportunities to people to grow and flourish in all roles so that all staff are consistently progressing.

My training provider give lots of support all year round. There are weekly webinars and forums to ask questions in as well as the chance to message and speak to tutors direct. There is also reviews with my training provider and employer every 3 months to make sure I am on track and progressing well.

I feel that the content I learn directly relates to my work on site. There is numerous examples where I am able to apply the knowledge I have learnt from UCEM into my daily job role. This has enabled me to progress faster and be more effective in my role.

Sisk has a wide range of activities which go on all year round and each site has different activities that occur. For example there may be 5 a side football team playing after work on a weekly basis or there may be a site night out. There is also the opportunity to attend a number of networking events throughout the year.

Yes

I would recommend John Sisk to anyone as the company has great values which everyone who works for them abides to as it becomes part of who you are. Sisk are reliable and trustworthy and they make you feel a valued member of the team. There is also lots of support if you need it.

I would advise anyone who is applying to Sisk to make sure they are passionate about what they want to do and make sure that they are prepared to put full effort into their job role every day. I would also advise that you are confident in your own ability and always prepared to help out when needed and work well within a team.