From building Lego to life as an apprentice quantity surveyor – Salford student “set on quantity surveying as a career”

It’s national apprenticeship week, and the University of Salford is also marking 10 years of offering apprenticeships, so to celebrate we are highlighting some of our star apprentices who show their passion for their subject through their hard work.

Fred Cannon, a first-year quantity surveying apprenticeship student, always knew that he wanted to go into quantity surveying. Since he was a child with a love for Lego, he developed an interest in the construction industry and loved seeing the fantastic infrastructure and architecture abroad on holidays as a child.

After leaving college, he was excited to start his apprenticeship and, as someone who always likes to keep busy, the idea of attending university one day per week alongside working for the other four days was something that appealed to him.

Fred said: “Juggling work with my studies can be challenging, but it’s definitely manageable – I think good organisation skills are key, but once you get into the routine of the degree apprenticeship, managing the workload becomes second nature.”

Working on residential, commercial and education sector projects around Greater Manchester and the Northwest, Fred’s time at work includes regular site visits. This allows him to see how the works are progressing, as well as breaking down how the site is operating.

While people often characterise a quantity surveyor as the person who breaks down the costs of a construction project, Fred explained that it’s so much more. From ensuring the project stays in budget, delivering value for money for the client, to visiting site to check that the scheme is meeting required deadlines, quality standards and legal requirements – there are so many responsibilities that are frequently overlooked.

Fred said: “When you’re in a workplace with six experienced colleagues around you, it is like having six teachers. I can ask them questions, and they’ll either know the answer or go and find out for me. You must take responsibility for your own work but if you need any help with tasks, you can always ask as the team is there to help.”

Apprenticeships are highly competitive, and in his experience, Fred felt there was greater emphasis on the university route since it is more accessible.

Fred said: “My heart is definitely set on quantity surveying as a career – I knew before I even started the apprenticeship that I wanted to be a quantity surveyor or work in the construction industry. I find it really fascinating, and it’s something that I’ve known I wanted to do since before starting college.”

Chris Heathcote, director at Gateley Vinden, said: “Fred has hit the ground running at Gateley Vinden, making an exceptional impact from day one. He has not only impressed colleagues across the business but also excelled in his academic studies. We are genuinely excited to see his career flourish and it’s a real pleasure to support him during his apprenticeship journey.”

Find out more about Apprenticeships at Salford for students and employers: https://www.salford.ac.uk/apprenticeships