Student Quantity Surveyor Review

I enjoyed my placement very much so. I was able to gather knowledge from a wide range of processes and procedures from different areas/schemes of the Aone+ joint venture business. I was exposed to different areas of Quantity Surveying life which will put me in a good position when I graduate next year.

My colleagues made me feel very welcome when I first came to the office and have done ever since. A lot of the work I've been given is important, requiring high responsibility, making me feel my position and the tasks I have carried out are valued highly and are actually worthwhile / important.

I was always able to ask my line manager questions whenever I had a query or felt uncomfortable or unsure about a piece of work. They helped arrange meetings to check up on my progress and objectives and helped in the process of starting up my road to RICS qualification.

To start of, the first month or so was slow with quantity and quality of work. I think this was due to people not knowing my abilities. However, as time went on and the more work I completed, the more work I was given until a point where I was always busy on a daily basis.

Like the previous, the first month or so was slow with quality of work because people didn't know my abilities. However, as time went on, the more people trusted me to do more important work because I was doing the work well. After a few months I was given my own schemes to manage which was a great responsibility.

The work placement has given me an insight that I didn't acquire/appreciate in the classroom at university. I have developed much better skills in excel as well as having greater confidence levels speaking to people. I have received in class training which has broadened my knowledge and will help with my CPD in my RICS APC for chartered qualification. I think real life scenarios and day to day tasks will help me with modules when I head back to university, having seen it at first hand.

There was a fantastic atmosphere in the office. I enjoyed coming into work and meeting people every day. I made some great friends and great work colleagues who I look to keep in contact with in the future. Simple things like cakes and treats in the kitchen brought a nice social side to the office.

The organisation and structure has been good. There were 2 undergraduates here when we first arrived coming towards the end of their placements. They were able to teach us a few things and transfer their knowledge onto us for the transition before they went back to university for their final year. I have an everyday Senior QS who I report to for work which is clear for me.

There are always training events that Costain host where colleagues are allowed to go to as long as the line manager approves. I attended some in house training in Kings Hill a number of times including, Mental Health first aid training, specialist training in sub-contract areas, and NEC3 contract training.

Great. I'm an undergraduate looking to go onto the Costain graduate programme. I have an informal interview coming up to get onto the programme, and once I'm on it I have a job with Costain as soon as I graduate next summer, so long as I require a grade 2:1.

The social side was very good. I played football on Thursday nights with people from work which was a great silence breaker and introduced me to people I wouldn't usually speak to in the office. We also had a Christmas Party and a couple of Commercial meals over the year. 1 improvement would be more events like the Christmas Party throughout the year i.e. Easter / Summer so that people can get to meet even more people in the office.

Costain subsidised my accommodation this year which was a great help as an undergraduate on a low salary. I lived in Maidstone renting a room for over £500 a month which was not cheap, so the accommodation allowance helped massively. I socialised with people from work in Maidstone at restaurants and bars for relatively cheap prices.

The nightlife in Maidstone is a mixed bag. I'm originally from London where there is so much to do in terms of nightclubs, restaurants, fun events so coming form there to a town like Maidstone was a downgrade but I still had fun in Maidstone and there was enough to do with friends.

Yes, I played football every Thursday with some lads from work. I also went to the gym 3 to 4 days per week with a friend from work which passed time and kept me fit physically and mentally outside of the office, which is always a great thing to do.