Five years ago, Thomas Hughes was working as a Team Leader in retail when he decided he wanted a career change. Fast forward he is now an Assistant Cost Consultant working on various projects across the Langarth Garden Village scheme – a decision which will certainly impact his future career in a positive way.
Langarth Garden Village is committed to investing in the next generation. So far 10 young people (including Thomas) have been recruited as apprenticeships on different parts of the project. This includes four CORMAC apprentices working on the design of Fordh Langarth, previously known as the Northern Access Road, with the remainder working in a range of roles on the wider Langarth programme.
The project team have also been working with Truro and Penwith College to support their T Level courses, resulting in one T Level student already working on the Garden Village scheme.
Devon born, Thomas completed his studies at Exeter College with the highest marks with a future of becoming an Officer in the Royal Navy. However, due to medical screening this changed his plans. Thomas became aware of the construction industry, particularly quantity surveying whilst visiting family friends in Oman. He was offered the opportunity to work in Muscat, Oman but was told he would need to hold relevant qualifications. This is what sparked his interest to investigate a career in the profession, which later turned into reality.
After looking at a range of options it was clear that Thomas either went back into education to go to university or do an apprenticeship. He adds “as I had been working since the age of 13, I was used the world of working, I prefer to learn hands on and get stuck in opposed to classroom environments”.
Thomas is diagnosed with dyslexia, which has it challenges and benefits (not that this stops him!). The main reason why he chose an apprenticeship route is this provided him with the hands-on experience, which had always suited his learning style. The route would allow Thomas to learn on the job, apply his learning to his current work and develop his exposure to new tasks and projects. Other factors for choosing an apprenticeship included continuation of earning a salary and being able to obtain an academic qualifications alongside work – specifically a Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship.
Thomas saw many adverts across various firms, however the one which sparked significant interest was at Arcadis who are a leading global design, engineering and consultancy firm. He was successful in his appointment. Currently based out of the Arcadis Exeter office, 27-year-old Thomas spends his week working alongside colleagues and leading various projects.
His apprenticeship will take a total of five years to complete, three years to complete the university studies followed by a further two years to obtain RICS (Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors) accreditation. Being an apprenticeship, both accolades are at no cost, this has been funded via Arcadis. Recently commencing his fifth year of the apprenticeship route, Thomas completed his university studies and graduated in December 2021 with First Class Honours in BSc Quantity Surveying from University College of Estate Management.
Undertaking an apprenticeship is not for the faint hearted, there are times where it can feel overwhelming and the need to sacrifice personal time and enjoyment. However, it is all about finding a balance and routine which works for you. As the programme progresses you find new ways to balance everything, each person is different. Thomas recalls “as cliché as it sounds working in what can be a rather loud environment at times, I would always study in cafés. I used to focus so well, and I was able to get a good coffee in the meantime! It just gave me another opportunity to be flexible in my learning.”
Thomas’ role has greatly expanded over the duration of his apprenticeship, initially he supported the benchmarking processes on projects and seniors when called upon. This quickly changed to becoming client facing and responding to queries directly, to even leading significant client projects within tight timeframes.
Day to day tasks range from producing estimates for construction works, reviewing variations, undertaking valuations, certifying payment for contractors, reviewing design information to develop cost plans and preparation and presentation of project/programme cost reports.
Given the scale of Langarth Garden Village, the role requires strict analytical review and attention to detail of all costs. Thomas’ role can be summed up as controlling / managing costs and ensuring the projects meet the legal and quality standards.
The typical stereotype of an apprentice doesn’t exist, he adds. “If you are thinking of going down the apprenticeship route I couldn’t recommend it enough, it provides you the opportunity to learn hands on!”.
So what is next for this Apprentice Cost Consultant?
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic Thomas still remains predominantly working at home, whilst maintaining an office presence every week or so. With the Langarth Energy Centre now commencing on-site, Thomas is looking forward to seeing the project come to life and to play his part seeing Langarth Garden Village grow.
“Each day brings it own challenges, which makes every other day different”.
