I joined FM Conway as an Apprentice Civil Engineer, studying at London Southbank University one day a week and spending the rest of my time onsite in Rochester and Maldon. Whilst I enjoyed the hands-on work and was really interested by the construction industry, after completing my HNC (Level 4 Certification) in Civil Engineering I decided that a hybrid role offering both office and onsite opportunities was the right fit for me. So, I spoke to my director and the learning and development team, and they supported my move from civil engineering to beginning my degree apprenticeship in Quantity Surveying (QS) at Greenwich University. I have completed my EPA with the Institute of Civil Engineers (ICE) and am now in my fifth and final year of my QS degree apprenticeship. I’m extremely grateful for the chance to explore what I was really good at and make the educational and career shift whilst staying at FM Conway, because the opportunity to learn whilst working within a supportive, collaborative team has helped me to thrive as a quantity surveyor.
My mum’s friend works in construction, and she mentioned it as an industry I might like to work in, as she knew that I enjoyed hands-on work with tangible results. I arranged some work experience with my uncle, who also works in the industry, and in my time with him I worked onsite at Gatwick airport re-surfacing their runway. It was an amazing and inspiring experience, getting to see the change, and the effect on the community that our work had, and it proved to me that his was the industry I wanted to work in. I also knew that I didn’t want to go to university full-time as I wanted the practicality and hands-on approach of an apprenticeship. The fact that my studies tie into my work motivates me to succeed, whilst being surrounded by people in the industry makes my studies more real and supportive – putting the learning into practice in real time helps me understand the theory far better and more quickly.
I spend one day a week at university, 11am-5pm, and the other four days working at FM Conway between offices and onsite work. My team, term maintenance, work on highways service contracts, maintaining roads both in planned works and emergency/reactive work; there is a lot of variety and excitement in what we do. I get out on site at least once a month to measure planned works and keep up to date with what’s going on onsite.
In completing my degree apprenticeship, I feel really supported by FM Conway and my team in both my university work as well as my work here. For example, I have recently chosen my dissertation topic, and my senior contracts manager helped me to decide which to complete and put me in touch with people across the business who he knows would be able to help me in writing it. Being a part of the FM Conway family also allows me access to research sites which I wouldn’t have as a regular student and will help me in completing the research portion of my dissertation. The hands-on experience I have had as an apprentice has meant that I better understand theoretical concepts as I have been able to put them into practice. Working whilst I learn also means that I am surrounded by people who know me and already know a lot of what I am studying, and therefore they are always there to explain concepts that I am struggling with in ways that I will better understand. Also, they are able to show me these concepts in practice and use examples from when we were last on site to help me better understand – the people around me are the library!
A core reason why I chose to join FM Conway is down to the diversity of the company. When I came for my first interview, I learnt that the Managing Director of the Aggregates and Asphalt Division and the then Chair of FM Conway were both women. Beyond this, when I moved to term maintenance my manager was a woman; I was inspired by seeing so many women in management positions and felt more comfortable and at home in the company, knowing that diversity was important to them. In my current quantity surveying team, I am one of five women and there are eight men – almost 40% of my team is women! I feel comfortable and respected at FM Conway because of their diversity initiatives and the evidence in my team and the higher management that they are following through and succeeding with these initiatives.
In my journey in becoming a qualified quantity surveyor, I am completing my university degree, but I also need to complete my chartership: first with the HNC and EPA, and then with the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors which I will complete and achieve a level 7 qualification (equivalent to a masters). FM Conway and my team have supported me through obtaining these qualifications, being surrounded by other apprentices and ex-apprentices means that I have access to the knowledge of those who have already completed the qualifications, and they are always there to help me and answer any questions I have. This support has helped me thrive and I look forward to completing my apprenticeship and developing my career as a quantity surveyor further at FM Conway.
This Careers in Construction Month, hear from Hannah Purnell, one of the Talent Managers in our Learning and Development Team, as she talks about her role, the opportunities available at FM Conway, and why apprenticeships are a great first step into the industry.
This Careers in Construction Month hear from our Apprentice Assistant Specialist Surfacing Coordinator, Libby, about her choice to leave school at 16 and find her place in the construction industry.
This Careers in Construction Month we spoke to Kelly Hills, Recruitment Manager at FM Conway, about the development in the industry and the growth to build a more inclusive diverse workforce.