“I am proud of the progress I have made.”

This week is National Careers Week.

National Careers Week is an annual celebration of careers guidance and free resources in education across the UK.

To mark this occasion, we are profiling colleagues who have achieved outstanding career progression whilst at GSA.

First up we speak with Stephanie Charlton who started with us in an admin role and is currently training to be a Quantity Surveyor.

What appealed to you about training to be a Quantity Surveyor?

With my dad and three brothers all being Quantity Surveyors, you could say that I joined the family business. Growing up I would hear a lot about the work that quantity surveyors (QS) do and found it fascinating. 

In January 2016 I started at GreenSquareAccord as a Customer Care Coordinator supporting the QS team with admin tasks such as orders and invoicing. This role gave me greater insight into the work of a surveyor and whetted my appetite to explore this career path further.

What do you enjoy about your current role?

I enjoy being involved in multiple projects that differ in respect of build and design, as well as the various technical issues we have to resolve which certainly keeps things interesting.

Teamwork is a huge part of what we do, and we do it well in the Construction team. We work together to ensure successful delivery and look at ways we can add value and provide cost savings.

I have enjoyed working on developments which used innovative and more sustainable construction methods such as the virtually plastic free homes in Redditch.

I get a great sense of reward from taking a project from pre-construction through to completion. It’s amazing to see your hard work and effort turn into affordable housing, which is something I’m proud to be a part of.

How long have you been at GSA?

I have been working for GSA for eight years now. I started in the Customer First Department, then a job role became available in the Construction Team for a Customer Care Coordinator, which I applied for and was successful.

During one of my Personal Development Reviews I expressed an interest in Quantity Surveying, which my line manager at the time was hugely supportive of.

What appealed to about taking an apprenticeship route?

Apprenticeships are great because you can earn while you learn. My apprenticeship in Quantity Surveying was fully funded through the apprenticeship levy, meaning I did not need to pay towards any of the training.

At present, I study one day a week at University and four days at work, so it’s 20% off the job training. As part of the course, I also receive Chartership for the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.

Have you had support to progress while at GSA?

I have had support from all of the Construction team in various different ways. I was issued with a training plan so I knew when and how I would be learning each aspect of the job. This was supported by my line manager who had a significant input in to my training.

Site and Technical teams have helped me with training on build aspects, so I now understand how buildings are constructed and function. I also have a skills coach appointed by the University to ensure my training plan is on track and I am receiving the support I need.

I have been given the opportunities to progress and I am pushed to achieve what I am capable of which is great. We also get enrolled on to the relevant training courses such as Fire Awareness, Construction Design and Management (CDM) and Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) cards.

To date, what are your proudest accomplishments in your career?

I am proud of the progress I have made to date towards becoming a qualified Quantity Surveyor.

As an adult learner, with a family, it can be slightly more difficult at times completing assignments but it’s all worth it and I’ve enjoyed the experience so far. Well, maybe not the exams! Once I complete my course later this year this will be my proudest accomplishment.

Where would you like your career to take you in future?

Once qualified and I gain more experience more options will open up such as progressing on to a Senior QS role or moving into Commercial Management.

If you're interested in finding out about the opportunities we currently have available at GSA visit our careers page here - www.greensquareaccord.co.uk/jobs.