Sam Doran
Commercial Management Trainee
This should lead to a job as a Commercial Manager one day.
Currently studying
National Diploma in Construction and the Environment
My role day to day
I deal with figures, measuring up for work, speaking to people, making drawings etc in order to estimate costs for bids. I’ll compare quotes from subcontractors when costing for a job. I’m on site quite a bit so I get to see trades such as plumbing and electrical work in practice. It helps me learn a lot about how things work to see it with my own eyes.
Recent projects
I’ve done a lot of projects in the retail sector, inlcuding one of the biggest department stores in the country and a supermarket.
What I like about my job
Every day is as different as you make it. I’m always busy which I like. There’s always an opportunity to learn something new.
The reward for me is seeing the final outcome, seeing something take shape, especially a completely new build project, is just amazing.
What attracted me to the Construction industry
I was interested in the commercial side of the industry – money, contracts etc. At first, I didn’t really know what the job of a Commercial Manager involved but Wates offers a really good training scheme which gave me a lot of excellent guidance. I learnt that the industry is always changing and there always seems to be something new to see and do. I found it intriguing, especially with each new project.
My Top Tip
Now is a great time to get into construction via the Diploma.
Sam Doran
Educational background
- A-levels: English Literature, English Language, Law, Media Studies, Graphic Design
Skills
required
Even though I was never a big fan of maths, it is really important in my work as I’m looking at scales and numbers all the time. A willingness to learn and a natural curiosity are useful, as is an interest in people.