Sam Davey
- Subject area
- Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering
I chose to study at Loughborough University as the School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering has an incredibly good reputation, offering me great academic prospects. I also liked that Loughborough is a campus-based university. Since graduating, I have found that being a Loughborough University graduate has a great reputation within industry.
The teaching quality at Loughborough is exceptional. The adoption of new technologies and software is rapidly making the construction industry more efficient. The School’s computer labs have cutting-edge software, which has provided me with a head start now that I have graduated.
Some of my best memories at Loughborough actually happened in the Pilkington Library on campus. I remember having a team project due the next day, and everyone was working together to get it done. I think in those moments are when you best bond with your course mates.
When I was looking to do a placement, the University provided me with a list of companies to apply for, including a company synopsis so that you could make an informed decision when choosing where to apply for. This helped me find a company that best fit my values.
I did my placement at Sir Robert McAlpine. I was involved in the pre-construction phase of a £100m project in the centre of Birmingham. My tasks included producing tender documents, chairing meetings, and analysing data.
I was given a lot more responsibility than I was expecting during the year, and therefore learnt many valuable skills. I felt that my career progressed massively within that year, and the skills I gained were incredibly beneficial during my final year. I now work for Sir Robert McAlpine as a Graduate Quantity Surveyor as I was lucky to be offered a job with them whilst undertaking my final year at Loughborough.
A typical day at my placement was focused on producing tendering documents that could be issued to the market to gain accurate market rates, as we were in the pre-construction phase of the project. From these tender returns, a preferred sub-contract would be then selected to undertake a section of the works. As I was part of a team, I spent a lot of my time communicating with different members and working with them to produce documents.
The Commercial Management and Quantity Surveying course at Loughborough definitely helped me get where I am today. Loughborough University has helped me secure an incredible career path in a great job role and company right after graduating. I cannot wait for see what my future has in store for me.
Sam graduated from the University in 2020.