John Fitzpatrick is returning to his studies in Quantity Surveying at Northumbria University in Newcastle Upon Tyne, having spent a year on placement at esc. Here he explains how he has benefited from his work placement.
What have you learned over the last year?
I have greatly enjoyed the last year working at esc Construction Consultants and gained fantastic experience in both pre and post contract work. As a result, I am much more confident in doing measurement for preparing cost estimates having learned so much about how to do valuations, submit payment certificates, do financial statements, do statements of retention, how to do tender analysis, etc.
What projects have you worked on?
Over the last year I’ve had the opportunity to work on and gain valuable experience on many interesting projects including the multi-million pound Redevelopment of CAFRE Greenmount Campus, Stable Extension at Down Royal Racecourse – Northern Ireland’s premier horseracing venue, and an Extension to Old Mill Surgery situated within the grounds of Ards Community Hospital.
Any significant achievements?
The most significant achievement for me personally was the completion of my first project, Down Royal Racecourse Stable Extension. I enjoyed the experience of seeing the job progress each month and it was satisfying to see the overall project finished before my placement ended.
How will your experience benefit you going forward?
The placement has provided me with the opportunity to apply skills and knowledge acquired in the first two years of my course on live projects. Moreover, the knowledge and transferable skills I have acquired at esc will, without doubt, help me in my assignments and maximise my final year at university, help me in applying for jobs, and hopefully increase my employability when I finish my degree.
Have you enjoyed working as part of the esc team?
Everyone at esc has been so welcoming and friendly. From the very start of my placement the Quantity Surveying team was always very willing to take the time to sit down and teach me new skills and processes and encouraged me to ask questions when I was unsure about anything. Many thanks to everyone at esc!
There are many options and alternative routes in education for students and at esc we work collaboratively with universities to provide opportunities for Graduates, Placement Students and Students who want to Work While Studying. Find out more