From intern to apprentice…

New intern joins JBA team as Apprentice!

Tom Bladen recently joined the team at JBA to gain some industry experience, trying his hand at Quantity Surveying and Project Management. He spent 2 weeks attending client meetings, travelling around the UK and shadowing our surveyors, ending his time as intern with the offer of an Apprenticeship! We are thrilled to have Tom join our team long-term and excited about his future within the company.  We’ve asked him a couple of questions about his time as an intern… How would you describe your work experience with JB Associates? My work experience so far has been very enjoyable. I have had the ability to assist on a number of projects coordinated by team members with varying roles within the company, including working with Quantity Surveyors, Project Managers and CAD Operators. The team are very friendly, supportive and have a vested interest in my future and the potential pathways that I could take. What element did you find the most interesting? The most interesting element of my work experience has been attending a client meeting which involved discussing the details of an upcoming project with regards to cost, site logistics and optimisation of operational hours for the benefit of the business. I was also tasked with taking the minutes for the meeting and was welcomed to input where I felt necessary, all of which made me feel more integrated into the team. Do you think the construction industry is a good career path for you? At this stage I am absolutely certain that construction industry is where I want to start my career. I have always had an interest in both civil engineering and architecture and I intend to pursue quantity surveying as a path to utilise my passion for construction. Every project is different and this means that you’re constantly learning. What’s more, the roles that I have witnessed so far involve site visits which are very rewarding. Do you have any recommendations for anyone thinking of doing work experience within a construction consultancy? I believe work experience in a construction consultancy for anyone interested in the industry is an invaluable experience, and consequently, I would highly recommend engaging in work experience with as company such as JB Associates. To have employees around you with various occupations working on projects from different angles has enabled me to begin to narrow down where my main interests lie. This has led me to research into the route I need to go down to get qualified in my chosen path.