Strong Foundations

Armed with education and experience trainee Quantity Surveyor Lyes Berkache can see a route through the current economic downturn for young professionals

I have been part of the team at Cooper & Hall for over three years and am currently working towards a degree in quantity surveying through the degree apprenticeship route. With one-and-a-half years left of my five-year course, the pressure is on to ensure I achieve my degree. For some students like me, exams and course work aren’t the only pressures. Some of us like to take the activity level up a notch or two! When I’m not in the office, I keep myself busy on the family farm, where we farm a mix of beef cattle, sheep, and cereals. Weekends consist of rugby, shooting – and farm work.

Exposure to agriculture and quantity surveying has shown me how difficult it is for industries to absorb external pressures and keep their head above water. On the farm the rising price of animal feed, fertilisers and diesel is squeezing profit margins. While in construction the price of building materials has been driven up by lack of resources and increased demand. Reading recent news headlines – “inflation rises”, “interest rates skyrocket”, “recession looming”, “pound plummets” – it all seems like doom and gloom.

What does all this mean for me and other young people at the start of our careers?

Despite economic uncertainty it still holds true that education and the acquisition of knowledge gives you a firm footing on the career ladder. While in years past you could be successful through hard graft, working long hours in low-skilled jobs – those opportunities are now few and far between. Knowledge is the driving force behind making money, as we enter an era of rapidly developing technology. New methods of working, and the accompanying problems, need more educated people to solve them.

This is where Cooper & Hall has given me a fantastic start to my career. From working as a trainee on pre-construction services, preparing Bills of Quantities and Cost Planning for recognised contracting companies, I have been supported every step of the way by experienced colleagues, committed to doing a good job. This has continued into PQS services, where I have been encouraged to seize the chance to develop my skill set and knowledge of QS.

As I move towards the final stage of my degree, and the start of my journey through the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Assessment of Professional Competence, I know I am well equipped. C&H has opened the door. Like many other young professionals in a similar position, it’s up to me to stride through and build a better future.

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