There are more career routes you can go down with a Quantity Surveying degree than you may first think. The construction industry is huge and there are a plethora of roles you can go into.
Quantity Surveyor | Project Manager | Risk Manager | Supply Chain Manager
Quantity Surveyor
Perhaps the most obvious career path with this degree is to become a quantity surveyor. The role of a quantity surveyor is to oversee costs, timelines and quantities for construction projects. Quantity surveyors are experts in the field of construction and liaise with businesses to ensure the correct processes are implemented during projects.
Our Quantity Surveying degree gives you a thorough understanding of construction technology relating to a wide range of building and civil engineering projects. The course is also accredited by RICS, CIOB and CABE, meaning the course has excellent industry links and is highly reputable to potential employers.
Career Insights:
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Numbers: You’ll need to be able work out the quantities and costs of different materials as well as time and labour for contractors.
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Ensuring safety: Be clued up on the risks of the project and follow strict health and safety guidelines.
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Communication: You will need to speak with clients to assess their needs and negotiate work contracts.
Project Manager
As a project manager, you will plan and set goals for the project whilst overseeing them throughout the entire process, ensuring they are being met and work is of a high standard. You will oversee employees, health and safety, arrange schedules and more.
Once you have become a knowledgeable and experienced professional, you’ll be able to apply for management roles such as this.
Career Insights:
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Systems: You will be confident with how to utilise business management systems.
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Organisation: You’ll be in charge of timeframes, employee work schedules and delegating work.
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Attention to detail: Making sure processes are being followed is crucial to the safety and progression of projects. If one thing goes wrong, it can impact the whole project.
Risk Manager
Construction companies may hire risk managers to take on all risk procedures and policies within a project, acting alongside or instead of a project manager. The role differs as it focuses specifically on risks, rather than managing all aspects. Risks that a risk manager could have to deal with include safety hazards, incomplete drawings, poorly written contracts, labour shortages and more.
Career Insights
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Analysis: Writing risk assessments, reviewing protocols and implementing policies is a large part of the role.
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Critical thinking: You’ll be in charge of other people’s safety, so you will need to have the ability to think logically and consider every possible outcome and risk as well as solving problems.
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Data: Understanding and presentation of cash flows, breakage, inventory, employee activity and more.
Supply Chain Manager
Supply chain managers are in charge of a company’s inventory and keep track of logistics as well as analysing operational performance. This role involves a lot of problem solving and being involved at all stages of operation.
Career Insights
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Communication: You will need to negotiate with vendors and suppliers to ensure everything is running smoothly. Building strong relationships is important for future construction projects and ensuring the overall project process goes smoothly.
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Quality Control: It’s important to ensure the quality of vendors and materials so the final outcome is the best it can be and is as safe as possible.
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Management: As a supply chain manager you will have to see the entire supply chain process from start to finish. This includes working with and managing various teams, creating schedules, overseeing product distribution and more.
Our graduates
With an undergraduate or postgraduate degree in Quantity Surveying, you are able to explore many career paths and progress to more experienced roles. Our graduates have gone on to do various roles after finishing their Quantity Surveying degree, many of whom started in assistant roles and have worked their way up to becoming chartered quantity surveyors. Some employers even sponsor their employees to becoming chartered and undertake further study.
Quantity Surveying at BCU
Do you want to study Quantity Surveying? View the course.