With Scotland’s property market continuing to grow, despite the uncertainty of Brexit, the construction industry remains an attractive career choice.
Here at Fife College there are plenty of fantastic opportunities to start building your career in the construction industry, including quantity surveying.
One of the lesser known professions within the construction industry, quantity surveyors are often the unsung heroes of construction projects, making a huge contribution to the success of projects, from one-off houses to multi-million-pound capital projects across the world.
There is still a bit of mystery around what exactly quantity surveyors do; some people think they stand at the roadside with those levels on tripods setting out the route from roadworks, others think they count bricks for a living!
The truth is quantity surveyors are the people who measure the value of a construction project, from the initial project start up to the completion stage. They have an in-depth understanding of the complete construction cycle, and the roles of each professional and trade required to build a successful project.
Why a career in quantity surveying could be for you
Becoming a quantity surveyor could take you around the world with the profession internationally recognised and in demand far and wide. Many consultancies and contractors have offices across the UK, Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas and offer the opportunity to transfer and make the most of the perks and life experience that come with travel.
There are of course plenty of opportunities closer to home too with almost 200 vacancies for quantity surveyors in Scotland listed in November 2018 on indeed.com alone. These range from graduate surveyors right up to senior and managerial level positions.
Quantity surveyors can also choose to specialise and work exclusively for certain clients or contractors meaning those who are looking for a career with a good balance of office based work and/or construction site based work can get the best of both worlds.
Both paths bring a new challenge every day and the job satisfaction that goes with being involved in a project right from its inception through to a happy client taking the building over on completion.
The profession also affords graduates a career salary above the average industrial wage (the UK average salary for a quantity surveyor is £46,280). There is also the potential to receive a number of perks which vary depending on the employer but can include company cars, group pension schemes, performance based incentives, etc.
Lay the foundations of your career in quantity surveying at Fife College
Here at Fife College we offer a number of ways to get your career in quantity surveying off the ground with both HNC and HND courses available.
Based at our Stenton Campus in Glenrothes, the HNC is part-time course, offering you the chance to fit your studying round your work and family commitments.
For those wishing to study full-time, you can apply for HND: Quantity Surveying SCQF Level 8, the first year of which is equivalent to the HNC.
The HND is also ideal if you are already working in the sector and are looking to progress your career.
So whether you’re looking to make those first steps towards becoming a quantity surveyor or working towards getting a promotion within the industry, Fife College has you covered!
Find out more about Fife College’s quantity surveying courses and how to apply by visiting our Built Environment subject page.
