Construction Quantity Surveying Technician Apprenticeship

Typical job roles associated with this apprenticeship can include Assistant Quantity Surveyor, Assistant Construction Surveyor, Quantity Surveying Technician, Assistant Cost Engineer or Assistant Cost Analyst. Construction Quantity Surveying Technicians are associated with the monitoring and control of costs and contracts on construction projects and are based on sites or in offices.

The typical duration for this apprenticeship is three years but this will depend upon the previous experience of the apprentice and the access they have to opportunities to gain the full range of competence.

Successful apprentices will gain a Level 4 HNC in Construction Management (Construction Design and Build Technician pathway) that meets the knowledge requirements of the apprenticeship standard. Please visit the relevant course page for this HNC for more information.

English and Maths at Level 2 will need to be achieved before taking the End Point Assessment and will be included in the Level 4 qualification.

This apprenticeship will include the knowledge, skills and behaviours typically required to achieve Technician status – or the equivalent – with the industry’s recognised professional bodies. The final assessment process for this apprenticeship will typically be partly representative of the review process required for professional registration.

You need to be highly motivated and working in the construction industry. Your job role and responsibilities should allow you to provide evidence for the knowledge, skills and behaviours of this apprenticeship standard. DCG assessors will check your job description and advise accordingly. 

In addition, you should have at least one of the following:

• A Level 3 qualification with an overall grade equivalent of ‘Merit’. This could be a Level 3 qualification in Construction or construction-related field, three A-levels in relevant subjects or a Level 3 in Engineering. An international equivalent of these is also accepted.
• Relevant work/industrial experience of five years (full time). If this work experience is not supported by education qualifications such as GCSEs, then a minimum proficiency in Maths and English at Level 2 needs to be evidenced.

Offers of a place on the course are dependent on your achieved qualifications and successful interview.

Please note that, in line with the Consumer Act and as articulated in our Student Protection Plan, we reserve the right to close a course if there are insufficient students to make the course viable.

This apprenticeship includes the requirement to achieve the HNC in Construction Management (Construction Design and Build Technician pathway). Please visit the relevant course page for this HNC on DCG’s website for more information.

Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours

Knowledge required

• Health and Safety: Understand the principles and responsibilities imposed by law and other regulations in a construction environment
• Sustainability: Understand the sustainability issues in projects across economic, social and environmental aspects
• Construction Technology: Understand different construction techniques and materials and the principles of design
• Contracts: Understand different forms of contracts used in construction and why they are applied in different situations
• Procurement: Understand the different types of procurement process and negotiation requirements
• Cost control: Understand the importance of controlling costs during a construction project and the effect of changes to the project
• Financial reporting: Understand the various forms of reporting on project progress

Skills required

• Health and Safety: Apply health and safety issues to all activities
• Sustainability: Demonstrate application of the principles of sustainability
• Construction Technology: Assist in the implementation of the most appropriate solutions for construction projects
• Contracts: Be able to apply different types of contracts to different situations
• Procurement: Assist in the selection of and negotiation with specialist contractors for a construction project
• Cost control: Assist in the measurement and costing of construction works during a project
• Financial reporting: Assist in the preparation of financial reports, cash flow and cost forecasts for a construction project
• Administration: Assist in the collection, collation and storage of relevant data and its analysis

Behaviours required

• Commitment to Code of Ethics: Understand and apply the Code of Conduct and conduct regulations, ethics and professional standards relevant to the industry’s recognised professional bodies
• Continuing Professional Development: Identify own development needs and take action to meet those needs
• Use own knowledge and expertise to help others when requested
• Commitment to Equality and Diversity: Understand the importance of equality and diversity and demonstrate these attributes to meet the requirements of fairness at work
• Communicate Effectively: Be able to contribute effectively to meetings and present information in a variety of ways, including oral and written
• Conflict Avoidance: Be able to assist in planning to avoid conflict and resolving issues that do arise
• Work in Teams: Be able to work with others in a collaborative and non-confrontational way
• Demonstrate Innovation: Be able to identify areas for improvement and suggest innovative solutions

Delivery will entail a combination of work-based learning with the help of an assessor and learning at the College by completing an HNC qualification on a part-time basis. Please visit the course page for the HNC qualification on DCG’s website for more information.

You need safety boots and Personal Protective Equipment, such as a hard hat and overalls, which should be supplied by your employer. You will need to purchase a scientific calculator and technical drawing equipment. For voice-over PowerPoint presentations you will need access to a microphone. 

You will also need access to a computer or laptop with Internet, Windows 7 Operating System or above, Microsoft Office 2010 or above, and the ability to run Revit or AutoCAD Architecture which can be downloaded for free from Autodesk for students. 

The purchase of appropriate books and e-books is encouraged and guidance on which books to purchase will be given by subject specialists.

Once the apprentice has achieved the HNC and Level 2 English and Maths, completed a digital portfolio and satisfied the off-the-job training requirements of the Employer Gateway, an End Point Assessment will take place which will be delivered in the following order: 

• Online Test – The Online Test underpins the knowledge required to work as a construction quantity surveying technician so it needs to be completed and passed as the first element of the End Point Assessment process.
• Project – Apprentices must pass the Project before taking the Professional Discussion.
• Professional Discussion – Ideally, the Professional Discussion should be taken and achieved by the end of month 4 following the Gateway.

For the assessment of the HNC qualification, please visit its course page on DCG’s website.

The purpose of the HNC qualification included in this apprenticeship is to develop students as professional, self-reflecting individuals able to meet the demands of employers in the construction and built environment sector and adapt to a constantly changing world. The qualification aims to widen access to higher education and enhances the career prospects of those who undertake it. Graduates can perform key modern methods of construction tasks, understand processes and operations, and work effectively.

You could progress to a Level 5 HND or to a BSc/BEng degree or degree apprenticeship (Level 6) in a related discipline, drawing on the broad knowledge base you will have gained from this course.

Completing this apprenticeship standard will pave the way to employment in one of the following job roles:

• Quantity Surveyor
• Construction Surveyor
• Cost Engineer
• Cost Analyst

We encourage you to join the CIOB at student membership level during your study of this course.

For more information, contact Derby College Group on 0800 0280289 or enquiries@derby-college.ac.uk