On the Road to Success: Zuhair’s Journey into Quantity Surveying
By Zuhair Zafar
Why I chose the T Level in Design, Surveying & Planning for Construction
Growing up, I had never considered a career in construction as I’ve always had a passion for cars, but when thinking about my future I realised there aren’t as many opportunities available in the car industry. So, I shifted my focus towards project, site and design management in construction which is where I discovered Quantity Surveying. Whilst looking at the role of the day-to-day activities and speaking to a family member who is a Commercial Manager, the impact of this career really caught my eye!
After speaking to my Careers Advisor in school she found various colleges that offer courses in construction and the built environment, but a lot of these courses didn’t seem like a good fit for me. I wanted to explore my options and find a course that allows me to thrive, I found this opportunity at Leeds College of Building with the new Design, Surveying & Planning T Level which at the time was only a year old.
Starting College and Taking a Leap
Before starting the course, I was invited to attend a Welcome Day which allowed me to experience a taster of the course and meet some of my future classmates. Initially, this was difficult for me as I’m quite shy when in a new environment and a new city, but I really enjoyed speaking to new people. Some of them are now my best mates! I was still indecisive during this time as I’m from a small village which isn’t as busy as Leeds is and it’s 40-minutes away on the train. However, during an interview with my course tutor and placement advisor we had a great chat and a laugh which put me at ease and showed me that Leeds College of Building is the right place for me, so I accepted my conditional offer!
Coming to college has given me some of my best memories – there has always been the same 17 students in my class, so we’ve gotten to know each other very quickly and all become friends. The class has never been divided and we’re all one massive team. That’s one of the things I like most about my course, along with the lessons and the work placement! I also like how the content we learn on the course flows between lessons, for example, one day we learnt about construction law and the next about stakeholder management. We explored both sides of the law, so we understand who is responsible for each action, and in the worst-case scenario, which stakeholder is held liable.
“Coming to college has given me some of my best memories”
On-site Work Experience
The lovely Employability Team at college helped me find my work placement with the Morgan Sindall Group at their site in Woodhouse. The project involved a school extension, and I joined as a placement Quantity Surveyor, so I worked with two experienced surveyors who gave us real tasks to complete. When I joined, the SFS framing had only just gone up, so I was able to understand how different roles work within the construction industry and meet some amazingly talented individuals.
I took my role very seriously during my placement which allowed me to make lifetime contacts, make valuable connections and even gain some new friends along the way. Everyone was very welcoming which encouraged me to be confident – attending meetings and talking to everyone even if we did not need to speak to them – you never know how much you could help yourself by just speaking to one person!
A Guide Through the Storm
During my time at Leeds College of Building I unfortunately had many personal circumstances affecting me which began to interfere with my education. The college staff noticed that I wasn’t acting like my usual self and my Progress Coach reached out to check in on me – without me having to ask. He called me for a face-to-face meeting where I explained my situation to him, and he spent hours helping me and talking through my problems – we even talked about my interests like football! Every class has a designated Progress Coach to support your wellbeing, they don’t judge you and they are there to help you. This is the level of care that the college has; whether its college related or not supporting us is always their priority.
Helpful Advice
My advice to anyone looking to study at Leeds College of Building is don’t think twice like I did just apply for the course – choosing to study here one of the biggest and best decisions in my life! The saying that kept me going when I first started here was: ‘work hard now, play harder later’. If you put in the hard work now with a specialised course, it will give you the head start in life that you need.