Junior Quantity Surveyor Review
at Arcadis
Degree Apprenticeship
Surveying
Birmingham
Review Submitted: May 2025
Overall Rating
3.3 /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!
3/5
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Overview of Role
3/5
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Skills Development
3.2/5
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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:
3/5
I go onsite (or someone will go onsite for me depending on proximity to site), check monthly valuations received and compare to what we see on site, once we come back, agree with the Borrower on the valuation for the month and receive their payment notice, then i will write a monthly report based on information i have asked for regarding: contract status, insurances, statutory agreements (planning, S106, S278 etc etc), surveys, project parties (subcontractors appointments, PII etc) and comment on the monthly progress and programme, all whilst highlighting the risk to our client - the Funder (usually a bank)
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
3/5
Enjoy - maybe enjoy isnt the word but I certainly am happy in the direction of it and happy to continue, as long as i maintain control of the reigns and guide my career in the direction i want it to go, not let myself get pushed down a hole
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
3/5
After the first year, sort of understand how the system works - every now and then a report will be more of a challenge as per Borrowers systems/ Client expectation, however majority is the same sort of process, there's certainly a bar to get to in terms of skill development, but the ceiling is pretty low-ish too - i want to expand more QS knowledge
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
4/5
very. have regular meetings with a third party AOO who tracks the progress of apprenticeship and is there for guidance if there's anything confusing - my company seem to be on the ball with this stuff
How much support do you receive from your employer?
3/5
decent amount, sometimes in a big company you get lost but they give and offer enough so i would never feel like im completely cut adrift, they offer apprenticeship workshops more recently
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
3/5
UCEM is okay, its all online so fairly handy and the website is good - do i wish i could attend in person and get a bit more personal attnetion? possibly, but the convience of the online lessons probably makes up for that in my opinion
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
3/5
TBH its good knowledge and it does overlap with contruction industry, and i hope to use it all soon more, but given my role RIGHT NOW, not too much - my report writing etc falls more into monitor surveying than QSing work, so i am looking to rotate to a full QS team so i can really get to grips with the day in the life of a QS
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
3/5
usually, i personally dont attend them all the time but theres plenty available if i wanted to
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend Arcadis to a friend?
Yes
Why?
When youre this early into a career, sometimes its good that you can just be a small cog in a big machine and you can sort of 'be lead' for a while until youre confident in yourself like i am becoming now after 2.5years, you can get more responsibilities and take your own work which is what i like about Arcadis, and also hoping that their size can allow more opportunities to rotate and gain more skills
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Arcadis?
Do it, they're people centred and ive not met one person i dont like, and you'll be supported in choosing your own direction as long as you maintain a proactive approach to your career
