Millie
Clarke

Why NTU…

Why did you choose NTU and your course?

I chose NTU and my course as the modules that it offered interested me more than other universities and it had a niche focus on Building Surveying particularly in the final year.

I also feel that I am a more practical person and felt that this course suited me with the involvement both in and out of office visiting sites.

My course was also on held at City Campus which highly attracted me, it had a Sandwich year option, 70/30 coursework based throughout and most importantly, it is an accredited degree.

What do you think about the course staff? How do they support your learning and university experience?

The staff at NTU are engaging and interactive. The ability to attend lectures and arrange meetings either 1-1 or in a group to help progress further was clearly shown and made easy.

Particularly for myself with COVID affecting my first 2 years of university – getting to know them in final year helped emphasise how much passion they have for the course which was passed on to myself and the cohort.

Have you been involved in any live projects of briefs on your course and if so, can you talk a bit about one you really enjoyed?

In my final year Building Survey Practice Module lead by Chris Keast, we got the chance to work on our ‘Live Project’. Within the project, we were offered the opportunity to get into groups of 6 and carry out a project of Sustainable Redevelopment Scheme surrounding the The Coal Authority in Mansfield.

It involved gaining valuable experience in the following areas:

• Appointment of Project Leader
• Appointment of roles
• Site visits
• Collating 7 types of folders
• Project overview, Health and Safety file, Statutory compliance, Survey report, Feasibility studies, Design portfolio and the presentation.
• Presentation face-face to the client answering question.

Does the “real” NTU match what you’d imagined? How does it compare with your friends’ experience at other universities?

NTU is very wholesome with the integration of its students. It allows students to feel at home in a new city and embed itself into part of their everyday life.

It’s adaptation through COVID was efficient with regards to the “unknown/lockdown” at the time.

How would you promote NTU to potential students in 10 words or fewer?

NTU is a university that whilst academic gives consideration to an active student life. Whether you’re feeling anxious or all the excitement of being away from home for the first time, it encompasses all aspects that help you grow and understand what becoming a student and then graduate should be all about.

Placements

Could you please explain more about your current / recent placement, and what you did during this time?

I took on a 1 year long placement within the Core Building Consultancy team at Gerald Eve LLP. My responsibilities included site visits, building survey reports, reinstatement cost assessment, contract administration, meetings with both clients and contractors.

How did you source your placement? Did you get support from NTU?

I managed to get help through NTU Employability, who identifies job role for graduates. At the time that I was looking for a placement, Gerald Eve LLP did not offer placement roles but ended up providing one for the first time.

What is your favourite project that you’ve worked on during your placement and why?

My favourite project was a large four high rise buildings for renewing the electrical infrastructure. I really enjoyed watching the project unfold through team meetings, understanding the processes of the communication and involvement between contract administrator, client, contractor and external teams to make work possible.

This project had so many “twists and turns” that the ability of my Supervisor (at the time) to take a step back and assess potentially three routes to create a solution to reach an end goal was fascinating to me.

What skills have you gained by completing this placement?

Through placement I gained the following skills:

• Problem solving
• Communication and other interpersonal skills
• Report writing
• Professionalism
• Business etiquette

How will these skills enhance your employability for your chosen career?

Taking forward these skills are applicable in all job roles. Developing my report writing in different styles allows me to understand the perspective of how we write in accordance to who is receiving the report. Business etiquette can be applicable from the involvement of networking with fellow Surveyors to meeting new clients or people who want to understand what you do which further links in with Communication and other interpersonal skills

What advice would you give to an NTU student about to begin a placement?

If you are able to, go for it.

A placement gives you a taster of what the working world is like and gives you so much exposure which will support you returning in your final year. In essence, it pulls together everything you learn in the first two years of studying at NTU to support and further excel you in the final year.

About the future…

What’s next for you after NTU?

As a new graduate, I was fortunate enough to be offered a full-time graduate role from my placement company Gerald Eve.

I will be involved in a minimum of 3 rotations starting in Lease Exit who focus on dilapidations as well as involvement with Project Management, as support and advice towards my APC.

I will then look to become a Chartered Building Surveyor.

Has the employability team helped you plan for life beyond NTU?

The use of INPLACE provided by the employability team for NTU students is very useful and should be utilised (or find a similar method) to really push graduate roles for those 3rd years starting as soon as October/November.