Meet Emma…
Emma Brown has been working for Ward Williams Associates in their Gloucester office for 14 months or so, initially as a placement student whilst undertaking her BSC Quantity Surveying course at University of West of England.
Emma is now employed full-time whilst completing her degree on a part time basis. Emma works alongside a female Principal QS in our office which I find has benefited me in settling into a more male oriented industry.
Find out more about her experiences since joining the construction sector.
A typical day
At present I have 5 live projects, 2 of which are currently on site, these sites are based locally within Gloucestershire.
One thing that appeals to me is the fact that a day in the life of a trainee QS is never the same due to the vast range of tasks and jobs involved.
However, a typical day would consist of visiting and inspecting my current live construction sites and assessing the contractors progress on site. This involves meeting the site manager and walking round site with them to view and discuss progress as well as highlighting and resolving any issues that may have been found. I also take photographs and notes on all current works within the construction project.
Once back at the office, I then compile the information gathered on site onto a progress report to then distribute to the Client. This is an important aspect of being a Quantity Surveyor, as it is vital to maintain a weekly presence on site to stay on top of all current progress, variations, and discussions which in hand makes cost management of the project more efficient and accurate. Furthermore, attending site allows me to gain firsthand experience on how construction processes work throughout the entire construction phase of the project, allowing me to develop my knowledge on construction technology and services. After this is completed, I can then continue work on a current cost plan. Cost planning is a much larger task than producing progress reports and involves scheduling out all construction materials and techniques required to complete a specific project, along with their measured quantities and rates. This then calculates a budget estimate for a potential project that the Client may wish to undertake.
Part of my job also involves undertaking and assessing interim valuations and cost reporting which takes place on a monthly basis for each project. I attend monthly progress meetings which roughly coincide with the valuation dates of the project. These meetings discuss the progress of the project, the commercial/administrative position of the project, and any other items which a member of the project team may wish to raise. Prior to the meeting, the contractors Quantity Surveyor submits an application which breaks down all the works that have been completed to date and outlines how much the contractor requests to be paid in that period. Once a figure is agreed, I will then produce and issue a valuation certificate and recommendation to the Client outlining the agreed figure to be paid to the contractor. I then produce a cost report to the client which explains the financial position of the project as a whole, including any agreed and anticipated variations. The financial implications of these variations, together with the contract sum agreed at the start of the project, produces a figure which estimates the predicted final account.
A changing industry
Although construction is very much male dominated, there’s an outdated preconception that women aren’t seen as equals within the industry. I personally haven’t experienced any prejudice towards myself whilst working, and although these preconceptions might have been justified in the past, I believe the industry has progressed massively and there’s no reason whatsoever why women should feel discouraged from starting a career within the construction industry.
All these responsibilities and experiences are invaluable for my growth as a Trainee Quantity Surveyor and I am both fortunate and enthusiastic to continue my personal development within the industry alongside WWA, and I would highly recommend a career in construction to any person that is interested.
