Industrial Placements

The third year students on the undergraduate degree programmes in Construction Management (BSc Construction Project Management or BSc Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management) are out on placement at the moment. They recently returned to the Department to take part in the Industrial Placements Presentation Day. Staff were able to sit back and enjoy a series of 26 presentations from the students who had been offered placements in a wide range of companies ranging from small, local specialists to large national and international companies. Each offered a unique placement allowing the students to gain valuable experiences and insights. Some quotes and photos from the presentations follow....

Alan Huckin is on placement with Taylor Wimpey. He has discovered a love of CAD (Computer Aided Design) and has been using it to do draw layouts for sites that have actually been submitted for planning permission. Not bad for a subject that he didn't enjoy in lectures! He has also experienced the economic downturn in the real world, attending a difficult staff meeting about cuts and redundancies. He feels that he has learnt more quickly during his placement as he is applying the knowledge learnt in lectures and learning directly from the mistakes he makes.

CAD Design (image by Alan Huckin)

Jack Frazier is on placement with Byrne Group. He has been working as a trainee Quantity Surveyor on an £18million office refurbishment in central London and has just moved to Byrne Group HQ to experience some different areas of the industry, including estimating and tendering.

In the Site Office (photo courtesy of Jack Frazier)

On site (photo courtesy of Jack Frazier)

Frank Austin has joined GB Building Solutions for his placement. He has been working as a trainee Quantity Surveyor on a £16million contract to develop a care home for dementia patients. The development site combines new build with refurbishment of existing buildings (a manor house and stables). He feels that his experience so far has given him a valuable insight into the industry and has improved his knowledge of construction and potential career paths as well as developing some of his more personal skills:  responsibility, independence and a knowledge of his strengths and weaknesses.

Images of the development courtesy of Frank Austin

Chey Aldridge is working with Grosvenor as an Assistant Project Manager on two projects: the renovation and conversion of Grade II listed period property in London (Grosvenor Crescent) and the redevelopment of an old garage into a high quality boutique hotel again in London. As well as being on site most days she has been attending a wide variety of meetings about the development. She says that she feels she has asked more questions over the last few months than she has ever asked in her life! She is enjoying the pace of learning out in industry and has also started her RICS Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) training. The worst thing about her experience? The early starts!

The development site - image courtesy of Chey Aldridge

Site image courtesy of Chey Aldridge

Thanks to the students for letting me use their presentations to write this post. Hope you enjoy reading it.