National Apprenticeships Week - Meet Angela

This week it's National Apprenticeships Week and to highlight the week we'll be sharing Q&As with our own apprentices across the Group.

The Carey Group
Tuesday 4th February 2020

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The theme for this year's week is 'Look Beyond' with the aim to encourage everyone to look beyond outdated stereotypes surrounding apprenticeships and celebrate the diversity of opportunity and value that they bring.

We want to help you 'Look Beyond' by showcasing the fantastic work that our apprentices get up to at Careys and the positive impact they're making. First up, Angela Harkin tells us about her experience as a Trainee Quantity Surveyor working on 60 Curzon Street - the luxury 32-flat residential scheme in Mayfair, London.

When did you join Careys?

I joined Careys in July 2016.

How did you start on your apprenticeship journey?

I started with Careys as a Site Administrator. Throughout this role, I worked alongside a lot of quantity surveyors and realised it was a job I could really see myself in. After discussing my interest with my manager, I then transferred into my role as a Trainee Quantity Surveyor in March 2019 and began my degree apprenticeship in September 2019.

What qualification are you working towards? Do you study alongside work?

I am working towards a Bachelor's Degree in Quantity Surveying and in my final year of study I will be working to get my RICS Chartership. I attend university one day a week and I'm currently on site for the remaining four days.

What do you enjoy most about your role?

The thing I enjoy most about my new role is that every day I am learning something new, whether it be on site or from the other site quantity surveyors. I have learned so much in the months I have been in this role. The site team is very helpful and always happy to assist with any questions I might have.

What have you found the most challenging?

For me, the most challenging part of the apprenticeship has been adjusting to the work-study balance. After being out of education for a number of years, I found it hard to adjust again to the workload. But now, after completing my first couple of months, it's become a lot easier as I have learnt to manage my time effectively between work and study.

Why do you think people should look beyond traditional career routes and consider an apprenticeship?

I think an apprenticeship is a great idea because the onsite and practical experience you gain while studying is invaluable in comparison to completing the same course through the full-time route. On the job you are constantly learning and observing new things and this has been a huge benefit to me.

Where do you hope to see your career going in the future?

In the last year of my apprenticeship I will be completing my RICS assessment and hope to become a Chartered Quantity Surveyor. Following on from this, I would like to continue progressing to a more senior position.