Assistant Quantity Surveyor Review

by Balfour Beatty

Best Apprenticeship Employer

Rating

8.5/10

1. Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:

Various commercial activities including procurement, subcontractor management, assessing change, interim valuation of accounts etc. Internal interactions with different diciplines including, commerical, operational, Design and wider project functions. I have also had exposure to senior level staff including Commercial Directors. External interactions include the supply chain and client facing responsibilities such as KPI management. I am responsible for a wide range of works packages made up of high value PO's and NEC subcontracts.

10/10

2. Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?

All of my skills have been developed with Balfour Beatty. I joined the company straight out of sixth form. I have learnt so much from on the job learning and mentoring aswell as from internal and external training resource.

10/10

3. To what extent do you enjoy your programme?

Really enjoy. It is tough sometimes to get that work life balance as studying at the same time as working is difficult. I feel that I can ask my line manager for additional support to adjust my workload if needed.

10/10

4. How well organised/structured is your programme?

10/10

5. How much support do you receive from your employer?

Lots of support, direct and indirect. Line managers are encourages to support their early careers members of the team. Balfour Beatty also have an excellent early careers team to support you with any questions you have throughout your apprenticeship

10/10

6. How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?

The University of Greenwich is fairly poorly ran. Classrooms are overcrowded and haven't been adapted for modern day learning. Lots of the staff are freelance. My final year there has been significant improvement and certain lecturers have been great, but my overall experience has been quite poor.

4/10

7. How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?

It provides me with a very basic understanding of some elements of my job role. Most of these are covered by Balfour Beatty anyway

6/10

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.)

Lots of professional events like all hands calls for business units and job families. Also social events are organised on a project by project basis.

8/10

9a. Would you recommend Balfour Beatty to a friend?

Yes

9b. Why?

Great place to work, really has given me a step forward in my career. I have actually recommended Balfour Beatty to an individual I went to school with. He starts in September :)

10. What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Balfour Beatty?

Have a look into Balfour Beatty as a company. What do they do? What are some big projects they are delivering? How does what they do excite you? As an apprentice, no-one is expecting you to know everything. The most important things they are looking for is willingness to learn, enthusiasm, tenacity and self-drive.