Quantity Surveying Apprenticeship

The broad purpose of the occupation is to provide professional advice relating to land, property, construction or infrastructure including design, building, procurement, value and management.

Chartered Surveyors measure, value, manage and protect the world’s physical and natural assets to ensure their potential is maximised. They play an integral part in all transactions across land, property, construction and infrastructure and are responsible for entire projects and the lifecycle of buildings from overseeing planning, design and construction, through to occupation, sustainable usage, demolition and redevelopment. From city skyscrapers to sports stadiums, forests to festival sites, shopping centres to the homes we live in Chartered Surveyors are involved in them all.

Chartered Surveyors require a mix of high level technical skills, business skills, an understanding of people and communities, appreciation of the built and natural world and the ability to bring these diverse skills together. Chartered Surveyors solve problems, use leading edge technology and take account of a wide range of issues in order to provide their advice including legal and regulatory issues, finance, cost, sustainability, inclusivity and health and safety.

Chartered Surveyors abide by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors’ Rules of Conduct and ethical principles because they hold positions of responsibility and make decisions that have significant financial implications and impact on the natural and built environment. The occupation is regulated by high standards of professionalism assuring clients and employers of the quality of service they will receive. Chartered Surveyors are responsible for autonomously managing their own work programs and time while maintaining their own personal development and contributing to that of others.

At DBS you will follow the Quantity Surveying & Project Management Pathway with a focus on negotiating contracts and prices, assessing, evaluating and managing construction projects to ensure the best value for money and quality including life cycle costing, cost planning, procurement and tendering, contract administration and commercial management.

The core occupational duties include;

• Provide professional advice and recommendations to clients relating to land, property or constructions
• Manage client instructions from engagement to completion
• Liaise with other professionals
• Negotiate contracts and prices
• Analyse data relating to land buildings or construction
• Follow due diligence in providing advice to clients
• Undertake detailed inspections of buildings, land or construction
• Analyse information from inspections or visits to buildings, land and construction sites
• Advise on procurement routes and tender processes
• Undertake costing and cost planning of construction projects
• Manage efficiencies in construction projects

This course is completed on a ‘Day Release’ basis meaning that you will spend one day per week during term time at university with the rest of the time spent in the workplace gaining practical experience.

Year 1

• The Fundamentals of Construction
• Introduction to Measurement and Cost
• Practice in the Workplace
• Architectural Science and Building Engineering Services

Years 2 & 3

• Measurement
• Construction Technology
• Law
• Contract Administration: Control and Finance
• Cost Planning and Estimating
• Sustainable Technology with Environmental Control

Years 4 & 5

• Quantity Surveying Project
• Contract Practice
• Project and Financial Management
• Dissertation

You will work as part of a project team and assist the Project and Senior Surveyors in managing the financial, commercial and contractual matters on a project. Your blended learning will link an understanding of the construction process with key numerical and cost-management skills, enabling you to develop a cohesive understanding of the role of the Quantity Surveyor, alongside the relevant skills, knowledge and experience, by learning in a working environment.

You will be provided with your very own Training Portfolio when you join up to our apprenticeship programme tailor made to support you every step of the way.

We work throughout East Anglia meaning that your on site work experience could involve you travelling. We strongly believe this gives you a unique and exciting opportunity to work on a variety of different projects and sets our apprenticeships apart. Don’t worry, although it can be daunting at first our experienced teams are always on hand to provide help and support. After all 79% of our site team and 32% of our office personnel started as an apprentice with us too so they understand exactly what you are going through.

Becoming chartered with the CIOB is an important part of your development and heralds the successful completion of your apprenticeship.

The assessment ensures you are fully competent and meet the high standards of professionalism required to become a Chartered Surveyor and will include a mix of technical and professional practice, interpersonal, business and management skills. 

Applicants will require 120 UCAS Tariff Points from three A-Levels or equivalent qualifications, along with GCSE’s in Maths and English at Grade 4 or above.