My main career decision was deciding I wanted to learn and earn money at the same times which lead me to my apprenticeship. Luckily enough this led to progression which allowed me to be a Quantity Surveyor today.

My parents. When I was picking an apprenticeship at 18 years of age I asked my father if women could be electricians and his response was ‘women can be anything they want to be these days’ so that set my decision and I always remember that line made me go for it.

I originally applied for an electrical apprenticeship with my company and through the years progressed from this to a Quantity Surveyor.

A typical day would involve preparing any variations that are due on a project. Most construction projects are fast moving and clients require costs turned around in a quick manner so this is always our focus.

I would then work on any weekly reports due such as labour spends reports or project cost projections. This would involve working with Project Managers and Contracts Mangers to get the various elements of information required to produce the report.

As with all construction professionals a lot of time is spent answering emails on various cost queries from clients, PQS and our Accounts and Purchasing. If a project is coming to an end a large amount of time will be spent preparing the Final Account and agreeing it with the relevant parties. It is always good to close off a project and get the final account signed, particularly on a large or lengthy project.

My responsibilities are to ensure that the project is working within its budgets. That costs are minimised and all changes on the projects are captured and notified to the client.

My tasks would be pricing of variations, preparing interim applications for payment, reporting on weekly labour spend and reporting monthly into my directors on the project outlook.

Construction Projects are very competitively priced these days. There are challenges with completing most projects within the budgets set out. While it is not easy to achieve sometimes it is a good challenge to work with the construction team and see if we can look at new ways to complete the project differently in order to make it more cost efficient.

The flexibility the job brings, working in different places with different people regularly.

The workload can be quite big. Construction projects have a schedule which they must be finished by so sometimes everything is needed yesterday!

I would have strong analytical skills. I would be able to study data closely and pull the relevant information required from it. I am good with numbers and enjoy working with numbers. These are skills that most QS need.

I feel I am strong-minded. Agreeing variations and final accounts sometimes is not for the fainthearted and people can be very pushy where money is concerned. I am also a team player, on a big project everyone needs to pull together to get the project done so it is important to work closely with your team.

Leaving Certificate – Scoil Chaitriona , Glasnevin - 1998

FAS Pre Apprenticeship Course –1997 Course doing Plumbing, Carpentry and Electrical to assist in deciding which apprenticeship suited you best.

Time Served Electrical Apprenticeship – 1999 -2004 – Qualified as an Electrician in 2004

Btech in Construction Technology – DIT Bolton Street – 2008-2011

As an apprentice electrician it was finishing my apprenticeship after four years, it was a great achievement for me.

As QS it would be finishing a large complex project. At times it felt like it would never end but with hard work we got to the finish line. It was the biggest project of my career and I was happy that we got it finished successfully.

I would be quite organised and I feel this helps me deal with all the different streams of work that a QS has to deal with on a daily basis. I would be strong willed and strong minded which helps working in construction.

I love to cook and bake so a little cafe somewhere quiet would be nice.

My job through the years has allowed me to progress with time and I feel that while it is hard work you can earn a good living from it which allows a good lifestyle.

My advice would be that if you are not afraid of hard work that construction can be a very rewarding industry. It is a constantly changing industry which is interesting to work in.

To be a QS the main values would be to be interested in dealing with financial data and be happy to work as part of a team. Having an interest in construction generally outside of the commercials will also help as it keeps you interested in the projects you are working on apart from what they cost.

To be a practical person, be a good communicator and to be a team player.

Damien Dempsey

Too many to answer I love movies!

People talking really loud on their phones when I am trying to concentrate!

Leo

Any work experience in construction would provide a good background as it would make you familiar with construction sites and how they work. Any accounts background or a job which required good IT and numeracy skills.

Quantity Surveyor with Jones Engineering Group