Could do witha bit of advice!

I am in the process of being made redundant by my current employer. I have been a support engineer for a company that makes software for the oil and gas industry, and have just over 5 years service. I have a BEng in Electronic Engineering too.

I've been offered a job as a Junior QS, the pay is about £5-6K less than my current pay (which is fucked anyway :crY, but I've heard that it's a good job to have, and the pay can rise astronomically with experience

I guess I have a few questions:

Is it a decent job to be in?
Is there much work out there?
What training should I be looking at getting them to provide for me (qualifications etc)

Cheers!!

Neil.

 

the answer to your first 2 questions is yes, the last one you should expect to do an ONC in construction first like A levels in construction that lasts for 2 years. Then uni for 2 years doing your HNC then your qualified but you can opt to do a 3 year degree after your hnc which i am doing as work are paying for it all and giving me the day off

its a good job but not everone likes you but you dont have to like them

 

Cheers Joel!

I might get in touch with uni and see if I can do a part time masters to get me a relevant qualification.

Neil.

 

Hi mate,

I am now a chartered Building Surveyor, which is very similar indeed.

There are fast-track routes to decrease the time it takes to get qualified. Get good advice about this, else you could find yourself wasting time early on.

My route to becoming where I am now was:

A levels
Degree (three years) in Building Surveying (for you would be QS)
Then get a job (money starts)
Two years post qualification to become Chartered.


Do the maths though, it can take five years from post - A level point, so you will need to add to that any time for HNC/ HND. IF you have any experience in the construction industry, you may be accepted straight on the degree course on the basis of your experience, this will save you doing the HNC, which will mean up to two years less spent in training.

Alternatively, explore sandwich courses, which allow you to earn a little bit of money whilst getting experience.

Hope this helps

JJ

Also check out the RICS website, which will give you some help

 

Hi i am an Asst/Junior QS.

It is a good job, there is some serious money to be made in it, if you know how to manipulate people the right way . Im off to Uni this September to do a degree in it, which the company is paying for me to do (Full time too ) .

If you enjoy juggling money about and generally fucking people about all the time then it is a great job but there are some seriously boring parts to it aswell - spending 3 weeks trawling through drawing after drawing is no fun!! It's also a good job if you enjoy people phoning you up every 5 minutes complaining, and the majority of the people in your company hating you .

Regarding the degree courses, experience will account for a bit but will not get you on a RICS approved course, only 240 UCAS points will get you there (Which is fucking useless, as this rule applies no matter how old you are).

 

I'm not a QS, but two good friends of mine are, and I seriously considered joining them, so have the done the homework.

It appears to be a very good job to get into. They work very hard for their money, but they have a lot of it. As above... being whinged at was what put me off it, the phone never stops ringing. But they enjoy the job enormously.

Great deal of responsibility, but a good deal of job satisfaction if you're good, ie meticulous about things and a real do-er rather than a thinker. If you avoid opening your mail to see bills, I don't think it'd work

Good Luck!

 

Oh dear, I am showing my age here. I had heard the RICS were going to do this. What a bunch of Tossers! Like a levels in history, etc etc etc are going to help you become a good QS!

Sorry if my post misled!

 

Depends where you want to end up, the rules fro entry are changing for Bsc in QS. The points needed for etry for next years course are going to be the same as the Law degrees at most uni's. As a route, Ideally A level's first, then the Degree, and then become chartered, although the latter does not always become a neccesity if you were to work for a Contractor. Other routes may be to do a HND in Building Studies, whilst being a trainee, and then see how you find it.

I work for a Practice, and the emphasis is on becoming chartered. Money does not start great, but wait a little while, and you will reap your rewards. Like mega £.

Most larger companies will happily pay for you to go to uni, aslong as they can see somthing in you, but just dont fail any exams etc, as you do not ant to be called down to my office to explain why.

People complain, but I do not fins this overly, just find some better clients. Obviously this will all vary depending in which area you work in.

 

Neil,

One of Sally's mates Boyfriends has just finished uni and started a job as a QS with a firm in Glasgow. If you want to have an actual chat with someone on the phone re what its all about properly then Ritchie will be cool to talk to u. The boy rides motocross like a maniac too so hes a good lad

I'll easily hook that up. Let me know

RW

 

Cheers All!

I really can't decide whether to take this job, or keep looking for engineering work

Neil.

 

Well i can help you there too. I studied/worked for a bit as an Aeronautical Engineer (Just finishing off a BTEC in it, fucking waste of time imo) and i would say that i enjoy the QS job much much more. Its always better to be able to tell people what to do rather than be told what to do . I found the workload to be the same but the engineering job was much more stressful for me, working with tight tolerances and having the added pressure of needing to get the aircraft up and running again ASAP but doing it safely at the same time. You'll also find you can earn more money quicker in the QS job, although no doubt there is some serious dosh to be had in engineering .

I'd recommend giving it ago if your unsure, worst situation, you quit and go back to tightening bolts .

Oh yeah and one more top bit about the QS job is that work pays for you to go out on the piss - ALOT

 

Cheers Muzz

Been up most of the night trying to decide what to do Current feeling is that I'll give it a shot, and if it doesnt work out, then I'll try and go back to engineering

I'm off to have a look at the RICS website now... Will report back later

Thnaks again!

Neil.