Quantity Surveyor

[CosmicTwirlyLlama]

Asking for advice for my 21 year old son (if anyone works in this area). He is in his final year of a degree in urban planning and has considered doing a Masters in Quantity Surveying as he is interested in this area and would like to be RICS qualified. He was unable to secure a year out for his sandwich year so has ended up doing his final year. He has struggled to get any work experience. Due to this, it is putting him off doing the Masters due to rising student loans - he feels he will still be in the same position and unable to secure a job.

He is now considering the police but this isn’t what he wants to do.

Any advice appreciated. Any options for some work experience out there?

Is he still interested in Urban Planning?

Where in the country is he?

Is he on track to achieve a 2.1?

Why the flip from planning to QS/CM? What is his maths background?

Yes.

England. North East.

Yes.

Not sure but he’s been looking into it a lot. Maths very good - 9 at GCSE and A at A-level.

I feel like I’ve missed a previous thread discussing “CM”. Is that Cost Management? That seems to breathe modern terminology for QS! CM feels like the businessy side of the professional role of QSs. I’m a Civil Engineer. The QSs seem to get paid about 30% more than anyone else on site!!

I am a QS and went straight in to a graduate scheme when I graduated. Look at companies like Bell Group. They take on people every year.

Has he thought about applying for jobs in what he wants to do now (Graduate schemes or otherwise) and then doing his Masters whilst working? It is even possible his employers would pay.
That's what my DN (now a Chartered QS) did.

Has he looked at the RTPI website - there is some information there about potential work experience/apprenticeships/careers

https://www.rtpi.org.uk/become-a-planner/apprenticeships/

What area of planning is he interested in?

If he has found specific areas interesting, it's like there are public and private sector options for him to explore.

@IbizaToTheNorfolkBroadsyes, my (small) firm use CM. QS has fallen out of nomenclature - even when I was with the big guns at WSP. No idea why!

Yes, he is keen to do that.

Ds is a QS and had people on his graduate scheme who were non QS graduates. They had to do a masters in QS, which I believe the company paid for. Your ds has missed the boat for graduate schemes for next year, I think.

I know a few people with a QS or similar degree who then took up graduate training posts in accountancy and specialised in real estate taxes/capital allowances (either as a trainee or post qualification).

I was just looking for examples and this is a real estate trainee post that's open right now:

https://www.grantthornton.co.uk/careers/early-careers-job-search/real-estate-tax-graduate-programme-autumn-2026---london_trn26_086/

And this is an example of a role once qualified:

https://www.grantthornton.co.uk/careers/experienced-professional-job-search/tax-manager---real-estate-tax_r1035003/

Other employers available.

The London firm with which I am familiar sponsors graduates to study at the University of Reading (mainly) for the MSc in Construction Cost Management. They run a summer scheme where penultimate year students work (and are paid) from June - September to see if they are interested and suited to the work / firm. They also take post A Level students for whom they pay for their degree. All of them can join in the sports and social side, going on trips abroad, a football team, netball team etc.