We’re catching up with our apprentices across the Group as part of National Apprenticeship Week to learn more about them, their progress, and their future goals. Today we are speaking to Will Strickland, a Quantity Surveyor in RSS Infrastructure‘s busy Commercial Department.
Hello Will Strickland; what were you doing before you started working at RSS Infrastructure?
I studied journalism at Manchester Metropolitan University before joining RSS Infrastructure (RSSI). I worked at RSSI during the summers in various departments, including resourcing and finance. Before that, I took a gap year before starting university and served as the student president at New College Telford.
Have you ever worked in the rail/civils sectors before working at RSS Infrastructure?
I worked at Sky Blue for six months before beginning my university studies. This was as a member of the Payroll Department.
What are your job role and responsibilities at RSS Infrastructure?
As a Quantity Surveyor, I am one of three Commercial Department members. Most of the time, the role entails seeing projects through their full lifecycle.
My responsibilities include reviewing and developing operational processes to optimise performance, maximise growth, and collaborate with other departments to generate accurate and consistent bids and proposals. I also implement the organisation’s strategic plan and align projects with required goals such as achieved margin.
Managing risk assessments for new initiatives is another component. I am involved in all stages of the construction, manage change, negotiate contracts and work schedules, assign tasks to subcontractors and oversee their work.
During construction, I also perform risk, value management, cost control, cost/value reconciliation, and application submissions.
What are your plans, and how will working at RSS Infrastructure help you achieve them?
I want to use my education and experience to advance to a senior position in commercial management. I would like to become a commercial director at a certain point in my career. As an individual, I spent a lot of time at RSSI juggling university and work. While it was a difficult time, it pushed me to achieve higher standards, developed my time management skills, and allowed me to show my employers that I was capable.
Thanks to Will for taking some time to tell us about his apprenticeship journey so far.
About National Apprenticeship Week 2022
National Apprenticeship Week 2022, the 15th annual week-long celebration of apprenticeships, will take place from February 7th to February 13th, 2022.
The week brings together employers and apprentices from throughout the country to showcase the benefits of apprenticeships for individuals, businesses, and the economy.
For more information about National Apprenticeship Week, please visit: www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/
