Behind the ad

Chrissie Chadney, head of personnel, training and development at Willmott Dixon, cannot emphasise enough the importance of having practical experience. "It seems that universities are not offering students sufficient practical quantity surveying knowledge as all too often we see candidates that cannot do the basics. Measuring would be one prime example of this," she says.

"We strongly favour candidates that have completed day-release courses and sometimes find them more credible than degree students, as they have practical experience of actually doing the job while training.

"The ideal candidate would have a degree in Quantity Surveying, although we would consider applicants that have done a Construction Management degree provided they have done quantity surveying work, as again it is the experience we require," explains Chadney.

On-the-job training
However, Chadney acknowledges that a degree is not the only gateway. "The advice I can offer someone hoping to get into this field is to seek a company that offers day-release as a way of doing a Quantity Surveying degree while gaining hands-on experience at the same time. As an alternative route, we would be happy to take someone straight from A-levels with good grades, as we can then give them the on-the-job training that they need."

The successful candidate will be technically competent with a high standard of managerial, interpersonal and communication skills. Lateral thinking, initiative and problem solving are key to the role and the ability to follow required business procedures accurately is of paramount importance.

seek a company that offers day-release

Chrissie Chadney

Chadney comments that today's applicants are coming across with an air of arrogance perhaps bought on by the trend that quantity surveying is a very candidate-led market. But is the tide about to turn? "Candidates have been in short supply, however we were surprised at the number of graduate applications this year,"

confirms Chadney.

"We are seeing increasing numbers of people entering the industry as a second career. This is a good way forward for the industry in times of candidate shortages and we would like to see conversion courses introduced.

"We are working with the CITB and the Graduate Consortium, which consists of a mixture of employers brought together through the Major Contractors Group, towards achieving this aim," she adds.