Trainee Quantity Surveyor with Turner and Townsend Joe Chapman always had an interest in the built environment, but it was a business trip to the Philippines in 2014 that opened his eyes to the variety of roles available within the construction industry. Joe tells us about his experiences so far in his own words.
Having finished college in 2008 the thought of returning to formal education was daunting. A friend who had undertaken an apprenticeship in electrical engineering as a school leaver recommended apprenticeships to me — this proved to be an invaluable piece of advice. My apprenticeship has allowed me to gain real experience as a practising quantity surveyor while transitioning back into education after eight years.
Going the extra mile
I’m fortunate to consult for Network Rail as an Assistant Commercial Manager on the Anglia route of Crossrail (Elizabeth Line), which is my second role with Turner & Townsend. I’m really enjoying the challenge that working in rail brings; every day I learn something new. I managed to get into this role by being honest with my line manager about the roles I wanted to gain experience in and showing a willingness to go the extra mile for the client to produce the best outcomes.
I enjoy surveying because of the challenges I face on a daily basis. This is especially the case on large scale projects, such as Crossrail, where I am part of a team managing a contract which covers 13 train station upgrades and more than 20 miles of railway. No two issues are ever the same and the sense of achievement I get is in applying the contract, managing the process and helping to deliver the biggest construction project in Europe.
Thinking outside the box
In June 2016 I was lucky enough to sit alongside some of my peers on stage at the RICS Diversity and Inclusion conference and speak about how we can attract more young people to become surveyors. Entering the profession from a retail company, and being an older apprentice at 26 years old, I hope to encourage companies to "think outside the box" in order to bring more people into the industry from diverse backgrounds.
