Quantity Surveyor Review

Role is to assist project teams commercial through a range of procurement and commercial activities from pre to post contract.

Yes i have learnt a lot of new skills which varies from department to department. There is no real teacher. What i learn myself is pretty much what I learn from my own experience.

I used to enjoy the programme for the first 2 years however what I was told when being employed compared to now is completely different. There are no real values to apprentices in this company. It is mostly a political PR stunt. The apprenticeship scheme does not work or make sense.

No structure at all. The senior management in charge of the scheme doesn't seem to know how the scheme works and doesn't seem to have a clue about the RICS process. There is no real leader in the scheme, only reactive 'support' which amounts to nothing most of the time.

None at apprenticeship level. Only support is from line manager and they have limited ways in which they can support you as they have no real influence in the decisions of your apprenticeship.

Once a week study day however the university is not professional and not organised at all. Since starting the degree, I have had one meeting with my university Councillor for the scheme over 2 years.

The only benefit to the degree is that you understand the fundamental of quantity surveying and commercial. There is no exact science to this career as nothing in practice is the same as what you learn in education. Every QS does things differently, which is why this scheme is challenging as when you ask 50 different people how to do things, you get 50 varied responses.

There used to be extra curricular activities before the person leading the scheme was changed. Now we get an email once in a while asking us to promote the scheme at schools or fairs.

No

There are proper construction companies and tier one construction companies who offer a better scheme and more structure in terms of what you are exactly supposed to do. Transport for London seems to have an identity crisis in structure amongst normal employees let alone apprentices. Apprentices are not valued at Transport for London.

it is much easier to achieve MRICS through the private industry than TfL. TfL being in the public sector has different way of doing things and MRICS will take you a lot longer. Plus they have decided to change the scheme mid-way through our apprenticeship so now you have to stay as an apprentice until you are MRICS in which you role off in the same band role you would have if you just finished the scheme 5 years. So you will have 5 years experience & full chartership from RICS and you will only be on 38K a year where as the industry would offer you roughly 50k.