Sarah’s Week with Us
Last week we welcomed Sarah, a Sixth Form student from Simon Langton Boys School, into the b&m office for a week to get an insight into what its like to be a Quantity Surveyor.
At b&m, everything we do starts with people. Over the last 40 years, we’ve built our reputation not just on the quality of our cost consultancy, but on the people behind the job. Our People-First culture builds on investing in one another, supporting our teams growth, celebrating their progression, and just as importantly, opening our doors to the next generation.
Throughout the week, Sarah was taken through what it is like to be a Quantity Surveyor in detail, getting the full picture from site visits to valuation breakdowns.
On Site: The Docking Station
A highlight of Sarah’s week was a site visit to ‘The Docking Station’ in Medway, where b&m are acting as QS on the full refurbishment of the former existing ‘Police Section House’, a Grade II listed building, and a new build which is being built behind the building, turning them into industry-standard teaching facilities for virtual production and motion capture technologies. Sarah got to see first-hand what cost management looks like on a live project, from understanding how high-spec studio infrastructure is balanced against the realities of refurbishing an existing building, to seeing how the team tracks costs from pre construction right through to completion.
For a student considering a future in construction or the built environment, seeing a project like this was a brilliant way to understand what the profession is really about: problem-solving, precision, and pragmatism in equal measure.
In the Office
Alongside the site visit, Sarah spent time in the office with different members of staff getting a feel for the day-to-day of cost consultancy – from how a project comes together on paper to the kind of collaborative, detail-driven culture that underpins everything we do at b&m.
Why It Matters
Work experience placements are a perfect way for students to develop their understanding of working within the industry and also a chance for our team to reflect on what makes the industry worth being a part of, passing on experience and knowledge. Whether someone’s just starting to explore their career options or is years into their journey with us, growth and development sits at the heart our culture.
We have loved having Sarah for the week in the office, and we wish her the very best as she explores her next steps!
