Inside Look: Stepping Into Surveying

We are delighted to welcome Waleed Bin Akram to the team who has joined us as an Assistant Cost Manager after graduating from Sheffield Hallam University. Here he reflects on the first few months of his career as a Quantity Surveyor.

How have you found the transition from university to full-time employment?

Initially, it was hard transitioning from the relaxed environment of university to the structured and fast paced reality of working life. However, the support from the team made the transition so much easier. Working at Comsurv has provided me the perfect opportunity to put the theory of what I learnt in university into practice.

What skills have you learnt in the first few months?

Every day, I feel like I learn new skills that help better me as a person and are key for my career progression. Skills such as communication, confidence and decisiveness are key to my everyday life as well as my work life. I have also learnt key skills such as data management, better proficiency with excel, contract management and managing relation with various subcontractors. Furthermore, working with Comsurv has given me insight on what it’s like to work in various sectors within the construction industry.

What challenges have you faced?

There’s a lot of responsibility when working as an Assistant Cost Manager, especially straight out of university which naturally makes you hesitant and you lack some confidence with some of your decisions. It’s also extremely overwhelming when you first start working as you are finding your feet but these feelings are only temporary. The team has a very proactive approach to work and they are always there for support regardless of the challenges faced. There are daily catch ups to see how you are progressing, there is flexibility, deadlines are manageable, and the work environment is great.

What advice do you have for other graduates?

Working at Comsurv has made me realise that it is ok to fail as it presents an opportunity to learn. If you’re anxious about starting off in the industry and making mistakes, not everything is perfect, you won’t know how to truly progress until you make a mistake. Everyone regardless of their role or experience has made blunder at some point. This allows you to reflect, adapt and pave the way for your long illustrious career. You won’t know until you get started.

Inside Look is our ongoing blog series sharing the people and stories behind our graduate programme.