What I liked
I worked at PTA Developments for 2 years after graduating from Sheffield Hallam University with a Quantity Surveying degree. I secured the job advertised as an Assistant Project Manager role with heavy quantity surveying responsibilities. What I loved about the job is that you aren’t solely responsible for just one role within the company, you get to experience and are responsible for a variety of different duties from doing take offs and quantities, invitations to tender, sourcing and purchasing of materials, cost comparisons, appointing contractors, interim valuations, contractor and staff payments, programming, scope of works, decision making over designs, site, and safety management along with overseeing the onsite administrative duties and many more. Along with this, you liaise with a variety of professionals, contractors, and clients daily, allowing an insight into their duties and roles within our projects.
For me, the great thing about this role is that you are based onsite and as I was a graduate straight out of university with little onsite construction experience, this role allowed me to experience firsthand how the day to day running of a construction site works, the problems that arise and actions you need to take to overcome these problems which cannot be taught in a classroom or out of a book. You are exposed to all the different trades and how they work, seeing the process of how a certain system is installed/ constructed and the different stages of a project. The onsite practicality of the job combined with the theory you gain day to day was very beneficial to my growth and development which I doubt I would have achieved at a typical graduate scheme office-based programme.
You work alongside a great in house, friendly, experienced team with priceless knowledge who take great pride in their work. In particular, the project manager who you work alongside on a daily basis, is full of in-depth knowledge and learn so much from. He is always there to help and guide you.
Another great benefit of the job is that you get to work on amazing luxury residential properties with high end specs and being able to see the process from initial purchase to competition and everything in-between gives you a great sense of pride and job satisfaction. The company are always looking and securing future projects that allows for growth as an induvial and together as a company year on year.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my time at PTA Developments and the knowledge I gained and projects I was exposed to gave me great confidence in my work and ability. My only reason for leaving was to pursue a lifelong dream of backpacking around the world which unfortunately meant leaving my role at the company.
