Quantity Surveying

Philip Naylor

"There are plenty of opportunities to get involved in a variety of schemes to advance your vocational skills and the quality of working environment, work/life balance and Bentley people make it all the more easier and enjoyable to do so."

Degree: Quantity Surveying University: Leeds Metropolitan University Office Location: Leeds Dates: 2010/11

Q1. What attracted you to JN Bentley and why did you apply?

I was impressed by JN Bentley’s vast experience in civil engineering and their awards – in particular their performance during AMP4 with Yorkshire Water.

 

Q2. What were your day-to-day responsibilities?

My role was to procure subcontractors to undertake work on our sites for client Yorkshire Water.  This included a wide variety of trades with values ranging from a couple of hundred pounds to £150,000+.  Work would involve the preparation of documentation to send out for tender, cost comparisons, negotiation and finalising contractual details.

As my experience grew, I was rewarded with more responsibility and was tasked with managing more and more subcontractor procurement.

 

Q3. What aspects of JN Bentley life and culture did you enjoy?

One of the real attractions to working for JN Bentley is the working environment.  I soon developed good working relationships with many of my colleagues and enjoyed working alongside them.  I was given the freedom and responsibility to learn from my experiences whilst at the same time given good direction, feedback and suggestions for improvement from my mentor.

 

Q4. Did you experience a good work/life balance?

As well as creating a great environment to work in, my colleagues at the Leeds office helped ensure a good work/life balance.  I enjoyed banter with my colleagues and was involved in activities outside of work such as weekly 5-a-side football.

 

Q5. How has your experience helped you with career planning?

My experience at JN Bentley has opened my eyes to the variety of opportunities available to me after university. Despite having mainly concentrated on domestic house building at university I soon grew to like the civil engineering side of the construction industry, and would certainly consider it as a career path.

 

Q6. Would you recommend a placement at JN Bentley?

I would highly recommend a placement at JN Bentley.  There are plenty of opportunities to get involved in a variety of schemes to advance your vocational skills and the quality of working environment, work/life balance and Bentley people make it all the more easier and enjoyable to do so.

Be prepared to work hard, learn new things, make new friends and take that first step into an eye-opening experience that you’ll always remember!