Quantity surveyor Samantha reaps the benefits of pursuing an apprenticeship10th Oct 2023

A quantity surveyor at Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK is highlighting the importance of alternative career paths for young people.

Samantha Green embarked on a level three BTEC programme in construction and the built environment at Coleg Llandrillo as part of her apprenticeship, achieving a double grade distinction, before moving on to a higher national certificate in construction.

After completing her college courses, she enrolled on a part-time degree in quantity surveying at Liverpool John Moore’s University, graduating with first class honours.

A project of note during her time at Jones Bros is her involvement in the creation of a 100 per cent carbon neutral operations centre for Brit European Group in Middlewich, Cheshire, which completed in March 2023.

The £3.6 million scheme comprised of a new logistics depot with car and HGV parking, a pedestrian link, and a service yard.

Vertical wind turbines were introduced to reduce emissions and a tank was installed to harvest rain and decrease water usage by 85 per cent, which will in turn support recycling for all toilet flushing and vehicle washing.

Reflecting on her career to date, Samantha, who joined Jones Bros in August 2021, said: “I’m so glad I was able to complete an apprenticeship in quantity surveying..

“When I was at school, attending university was framed as the main route for pursuing a successful job.

“Fast forward to now and I’m so happy to see there are multiple avenues and even more inspiration to work in construction or engineering.

“There’s no doubt strides have been made with young people enrolling onto apprenticeships, but more education is still needed in schools, to ensure pupils can have the full picture before they make decisions.”

Samantha continued: “I always feel empowered to continue my professional development. With the support of Jones Bros I am working towards becoming a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

“In my day-to-day role, I’m responsible for ensuring construction projects are completed within the budget. The flexibility of my job is also a great aspect, as my time split is between the office and site.”

Established in the 1950s, Jones Bros owns one of the largest plant fleets in the UK and employs approximately 500 people.

The company is currently working on contracts in various sectors including highways, flood and marine defence, waste management and renewable energy around the UK.

The company runs an award-winning apprenticeship scheme, which has produced nearly 40 per cent of its current workforce, with many of its senior managers having started out as apprentices or in a trainee role. It has recruited more than 100 apprentices during the past three years.