Quantity Surveyor Review
at Transport for London
Degree Apprenticeship
Construction
London
Review Submitted: May 2021
Overall Rating
0.8 /5
The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!
1/5
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Overview of Role
1/5
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Skills Development
1/5
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Structure and Support
Overview of Role
Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
1/5
Role is to assist project teams commercial through a range of procurement and commercial activities from pre to post contract.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
1/5
I used to enjoy the programme for the first 2 years however what I was told when being employed compared to now is completely different. There are no real values to apprentices in this company. It is mostly a political PR stunt. The apprenticeship scheme does not work or make sense.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
1/5
Yes i have learnt a lot of new skills which varies from department to department. There is no real teacher. What i learn myself is pretty much what I learn from my own experience.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
1/5
No structure at all. The senior management in charge of the scheme doesn't seem to know how the scheme works and doesn't seem to have a clue about the RICS process. There is no real leader in the scheme, only reactive 'support' which amounts to nothing most of the time.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
1/5
None at apprenticeship level. Only support is from line manager and they have limited ways in which they can support you as they have no real influence in the decisions of your apprenticeship.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
1/5
Once a week study day however the university is not professional and not organised at all. Since starting the degree, I have had one meeting with my university Councillor for the scheme over 2 years.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
1/5
The only benefit to the degree is that you understand the fundamental of quantity surveying and commercial. There is no exact science to this career as nothing in practice is the same as what you learn in education. Every QS does things differently, which is why this scheme is challenging as when you ask 50 different people how to do things, you get 50 varied responses.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
1/5
There used to be extra curricular activities before the person leading the scheme was changed. Now we get an email once in a while asking us to promote the scheme at schools or fairs.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend Transport for London to a friend?
No
Why?
There are proper construction companies and tier one construction companies who offer a better scheme and more structure in terms of what you are exactly supposed to do. Transport for London seems to have an identity crisis in structure amongst normal employees let alone apprentices. Apprentices are not valued at Transport for London.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Transport for London?
it is much easier to achieve MRICS through the private industry than TfL. TfL being in the public sector has different way of doing things and MRICS will take you a lot longer. Plus they have decided to change the scheme mid-way through our apprenticeship so now you have to stay as an apprentice until you are MRICS in which you role off in the same band role you would have if you just finished the scheme 5 years. So you will have 5 years experience & full chartership from RICS and you will only be on 38K a year where as the industry would offer you roughly 50k.
