Joseph's STORY

What do you do, and where do you do it?

I am currently a Manging Quantity Surveyor within the Contracts Team in Construction. I assist in delivering vital upgrades and replacements to the fleet of Compressor’s, AGI’s, valves and other assets on our transmission network across the entirety of England, Wales and Scotland.

Why is your role important? Why is it important to the company/ the people of the UK/ the UK economy?

My role is important to ensure we deliver construction projects on time and to budget as per the T2/T3 Sanctions set by OFGEM. Whilst remaining within the parameters of a legal contract – I administer variations, disputes, risks and large-scale change, accurately and responsibly to ensure stakeholders are kept up to date and engaged.

Which parts of the job do you enjoy most / find most rewarding?

The part of my role that I enjoy most is passing on the knowledge I have gained from the business, my qualifications, university and my career so far – to other colleagues not only in the contracts team but the wider construction department. I do this via large scale training sessions and regular workshops.

What path did you use to get to the position you hold today?

I gained 13 GCSEs at Secondary School; I then went on to gain 2 AS Levels and 2 A Levels at Sixth Form. I then gained entry to university to study Quantity Surveying originally as a full-time student with a Sandwich. On my Sandwich I started at National Grid Gas as an Industrial Placement Junior Quantity Surveyor, I then had a successful placement and was offered a full-time position as a Junior Quantity Surveyor, going back to university part time, until graduation.

What did you do before?

Before starting my Quantity Surveying journey both at university and professionally; I worked for Coventry University as a Student Engagement Specialist, Morrisons (the Supermarket!) as a Shelf Stacker and at Lime Recruit as agency Waiting staff.

What attracted you to join the energy and utilities sector?

For me, this is a sector where it is easy to see the results of the job you are undertaking. By ensuring the supply of gas is not only maintained but also increased throughout turbulent times such as COVID, Brexit and Ukraine-Russia war. The UK and the rest of the world relies on energy and other utilities to function – I can see how my role plays a part in this, as well as all my colleagues.

Why is your current position better/ more satisfying?

Personally, I prefer the management side of Quantity Surveying, having a say in the strategy behind some of our delivery/contract mechanisms. Facilitating and leading in a consistent and standardised working practice. And getting involved with larger scale issues that span across multiple workstreams rather than individual projects or contracts. It allows me to see the bigger picture and understand the decision-making process I was previously a part of.

What do you think of the career prospects? Have you had much training and development?

I see my career prospects as very high due to opportunity I have been afforded by National Gas so far. Not only in role development but also access to external and industry recognised training, qualifications and certifications. I have had a relatively short career so far, however, what I have experienced puts me far ahead of where I would have expected to be when I first started.

What does an average day consist of?

No 2 days are the same in Construction. My average week can consist of starting at home, catching up on administrative actions such as checking timesheets and approving expenses. I can then move into the office during the week to attend vital meetings internally or externally, usually to discuss strategy, improve efficiency or rectify an existing or prolonged issue. I can also be at site another week, doing a walk-round, taking notes of progress made, to be able to have context when applications for payment come in and again resolving any existing disputes. And then ending the week back at home, catching up on e-Learning, filling in my Chartership diary and reviewing my competencies with my counsellor.

Would you recommend your job to a friend and why?

Absolutely. The work life balance is excellent, the culture is friendly, the opportunities are endless, the development is prospective, the benefits are also good too.