This week we welcomed 17-year-old Jack into the office on work experience. Jack, from Ramsgate, is currently completing his last year of A-Levels and is making the decision whether to go to university to study Quantity Surveying, or to go down the Apprenticeship route.
We asked Jack to give us an overview of what he’s done this week during his time with us.
“On Monday I was introduced to the welcoming team at Modus. I then had some 1 to 1 time with Michael and Martin, the Directors at Modus, who gave me an introduction to Quantity Surveying. I then met Joe, one of their current apprentices, who got me started with my first task which included measurement of finishes. This was my first look into the day-to-day tasks when in the office. I left that day with an interest and excitement for the next day.
On Tuesday I met up with Sam, Associate at Modus, in Hastings to visit one of their active sites that they were surveying. Whilst on site I learnt about many different building techniques which would be useful for my task the next day when returning to the office. I also learnt the many roles that a quantity surveyor must take on at different jobs and the importance of strong communication. Sam was really helpful and eager to answer any questions I had.
On Wednesday I used the information and experience that I had gathered on site with Sam to complete a measurement of the external works at one of the sites I visited. Being there in person at the site really helped give me a better understanding of the layout plans. This allowed me to visualize and interpret the data much more easily, making the task at hand easier to complete. However, when I did have any questions, Jake was very helpful and ensured that I understood everything.
On Thursday I used all of the knowledge I had gained on previous days to complete a finish measurement task which, when I completed it, gave me a feeling of accomplishment as I had used everything I had learnt up to that point to complete the task fully by myself. Due to finishing that task so fast I was set another task by Tom, of which he gave a great explanation on how to complete it which really helped me.
Overall, I have learnt many things about quantity surveying such as measurements, bills of quantities, tendering, site management and different construction methods. Everyone at Modus has been a huge help and have really help boost my interest in the field of quantity surveying and have made me eager to learn more and even pursue a career in the field.”
We hope we’ve made the decision a little easier for Jack and either way, are delighted to see young people interested in the Quantity Surveying profession and the Construction Industry.
