Wakemans Limited’s Post

Meet The Team at Whitefox - Chartered Surveyors - Spotlight Q&A: We’re pleased to introduce you to Managing Surveyor Andrew Keen BEng MPTS IMaPS and to learn about his work, hobbies and what he's passionate about. 1. Tell me about your background and how you ended up in this role? I’ve been involved in the construction industry for 30+ years. I enjoy working on diverse projects, both large and small and the surveying profession provides that diversity of projects and challenges. 👷♂️ 2. What do you enjoy most about your work here? I enjoy being actively involved with the development and fostering of new talented #surveyors such as the ones we have here in the office and also maintaining the close Client relationships we value so highly here at Whitefox. 🌆 3. What’s the most interesting project you’ve worked on recently? One of our clients is a young #property developer who has been working hard to create and deliver quality residential properties over the last couple of years. Working with and helping to bring to fruition those ambitious projects has been a real joy. Their team has grown significantly in knowledge and numbers and have required quite a lot of handholding and access to our contacts to grow. 🏘 4. Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of work? Rugby – watching, not playing unfortunately at North Dorset Rugby Club. 🏉 5. Do you have any books or podcast recommendations that you listen too? Or if not this then any music? I listen to a lot of French language podcasts to maintain and develop my French. 🎧 6. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why? France, I find myself to be very happy there. 🇫🇷 7. Do you have an idol or someone who inspires you? (celebrity or even someone from work or a previous job) My children, all grown up now but they impress me every day and see the world with new fresh eyes. I learn a lot from their take on life. 🌎 8. What’s the first thing you bought with your first pay check? Probably a pint. 🍺 9. If you weren’t doing this role, what might you be doing in an alternate reality? (maybe a career you nearly went for in the past or choices you were thinking about when at school) I’d still be involved with the #construction industry, it allows you to take different paths and develop new paths. 🔧 #dorset #bournemouth #meettheteam

🏗 Building Your Future Starts Today! 🏗 It’s GCSE Results Day, and we at Isle of Wight Construction Training Group want to congratulate everyone on their achievements! Whether you got the results you were aiming for or are exploring new options, remember that every great career starts with a strong foundation—and today marks the beginning of yours!  Construction is more than just a job; it’s a rewarding career where you can build something tangible, learn new skills, and make a real impact. No matter your results, there are endless opportunities in construction to create a successful and fulfilling future. Ready to build your career? We’re here to help you every step of the way. Your journey starts now—let’s construct something great together! #GCSEResultsDay #IsleOfWightConstruction #BuildYourFuture #ConstructionCareers #InspiringSuccess

Late 80’s I worked for Wimpey Construction, then one of the biggest contractors on the planet, joined when I left school at 18. I worked on UK and international projects, it was a fantastic start to my career. My last job with Wimpey - the A417 Brockworth Bypass - a £35m civils project for UK Gov. My hours 7:30am to 6pm on site in Portakabins; learnt so much as a QS with a site team of about 75. Almost all of the site staff stayed in B&Bs; as I did. One night, the construction manager asked me after a couple of drinks in the pub: ‘Who has the most important role on this site?’ I said: ‘well it’s you - construction manager - can’t do this without you!’ Wrong, he said, now try again. So I said: ‘it’s the Wimpey project director, he is top of the tree at Wimpey here’. Wrong again. So I said: ‘ok I give up - who is it?’ He told me: ‘it’s the QS, it’s you. If we don’t keep a careful eye on our costs, then this job is complete waste of time for everybody and the company’. I took that with me and still reflect upon it many years later. Looking at my role at RICS now I ask the same question – who is most important? While it’s obviously not as clear cut as my then manager made out, and certainly not always about cost margins, we all have an important part to play. But, as he did back in the nineties, I also look to the next generation of surveyors represented by #ricsmatrics here at RICS. In my mind, what is most important for us is the future, which is why it’s so pleasing to see this vibrant professional community being led so well, as we heard at last week’s AGM from Annabel Huffer BSc (Hons) MRICS #Onwardsandupwards #nextgeneration #matrics

Careers in Construction Video - To close out Careers in Construction month, here are some highlights of Team Lobar's hard work! If you want to be a part of #TeamLobar , click the link our bio to find our career opportunities. #CareersinConstruction #BootsontheGround

Recent job completed in Hull.

Are you waiting for the perfect job to come along? Stop waiting – and start taking control. Yesterday, I spoke with two Chartered Building Surveyors – one recently Chartered, the other at Associate level. Both were considering a move but waiting for the “right” role to come along. Sound familiar? Here’s the problem: waiting for the right role means leaving your career to chance. Both of these Building Surveyors are in high demand, but the idea of relying on job ads or waiting for opportunities essentially puts someone else’s priorities ahead of your own. There’s a better way to approach this. Start with you. Ask yourself: ✅ What do you need in your next role? ✅ What will move your career forward? ✅ What aligns with your personal goals? When you focus on what you want rather than what appears to be on offer, you take control of your search. So, stop waiting for luck to land the perfect job in your lap. Be intentional. Take charge and find it. If you’d like help creating a tailored approach to your job search, get in touch. I’d be happy to guide you every step of the way. #mrics #rics #charteredbuildingsurveyor #surveyorjobs HD Surveyors Ltd

Many years ago, on my first day as a trainee surveyor, I was given two things to read: the firm's staff handbook and a copy of that week's Estates Gazette. In those days it was a substantial publication, with over a hundred pages, full of news, views, features and adverts (lots of adverts) for properties of all types and sizes. I don't remember anything from the staff handbook. Like many, I was shocked on Friday to learn of the demise of this great publication and, over the weekend, have been thinking about possible implications for the industry. In my mind, the closure of EG raises important questions about transparency, market intelligence, and how much more difficult it will be for property businesses to promote themselves without the 'Property Bible'. You don't know what you've got until it's gone. So I wrote a blog. You can read it here: https://bit.ly/41phpsr

💡 RICS 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 – 𝗠𝘆 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝟭 💡 I wanted to share a bit about my personal career journey of stumbling across the profession and in due course becoming a Chartered Quantity Surveyor with the RICS. In this post, I will provide my experience on how I found, fell in love with this industry and my early career journey. Tomorrow, I will post Part 2 which will share more on my journey to chartership and my professional growth which has led me to seek your vote. 🔍 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 I left school after completing my GCSEs at 16 and didn’t quite have a solid career plan set out. I actually contemplated joining the Navy! However, my dad saw an advert in our local paper for a housebuilder looking for an administrative assistant which was really close to our house at the time. I decided to apply for it in the meantime whilst I was trying to figure things out. After starting my new role, I enrolled in college to complete my HNC in Administration. Whilst I enjoyed the role, it was never the ‘end goal’. Luckily, a Technical Director saw some potential in me and asked if I’d like to apply for a new role opening they had – a trainee Quantity Surveyor. My first reaction was “𝘢 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵?”. Never heard of it. After googling the role, I was fascinated by the blend of construction, finance, and management, and I was eager to apply for the role. I did love math at school, so I thought why not?! 📚 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 I enrolled on a part-time basis to complete my degree in Quantity Surveying at Glasgow Caledonian University. So, 2 days a week I went to uni and the other 3 days I was carrying out my first role as a Trainee Quantity Surveyor with Ogilvie Homes. This blended approach provided invaluable hands-on experience and mentorship. I loved being out on various construction sites and meeting the project teams and sub-contractors. It was in my 2nd year at uni that I realised how much I enjoyed the role and could finally picture a long-term career, it felt right. My role was so varied and the housing projects I was working on, I thought back then at least, were incredibly exciting. In 2008, however, the recession hit the housing market hard and I found myself being made redundant. Luckily I was given my next opportunity in the rail industry. Surveying is incredible that way, lots of transferrable skills. Stay tuned for Part 2 tomorrow! Enjoy the throwback picture 😁 🎇 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 If you haven't already voted, please visit https://lnkd.in/e3VunBup and follow the instructions. I would greatly appreciate your support for my candidacy in the ‘UK & Ireland’ geographic category and the ‘Construction’ professional category. #YourRICSYourVote #RICS #QuantitySurveying #CareerJourney #Construction #WomenInConstruction #ContinuousLearning #Mentorship #Surveying #YourVoteYourRICS #GoVote #RICSGC

Young Quantity Surveyors: 1. Yours is to learn as much and as fast as you can. Absorb concepts, understand why do you what you do, e.g. Why do we do a Final Account? 2. Any job you're in is an opportunity to learn. Don't despise small beginnings. I get DMs all the time from young QSs who believe they are wasting away with the tasks that they are doing or companies that they are in. But, you have to prove to your managers that you can handle small tasks before they trust you with big girl stuff(lol) 3. Respect your Managers. Listen, some of my previous managers were my age-mates, we've been to the same varsities and indeed in the same circle of friends. But, when it was time to shake and bake, I would shake and bake! If they tell you to do something, don't act fresh now like honey we were out last night, what do you mean you want a Cost Report? (lol) No. Authority. Understand it. 4. Respect everyone in the office, from the cleaner to the Director. I honestly don't believe that I have to mention Respect twice, especially to an African child. Our whole fibre of existence is woven on RESPECT. 5. Get things done! Be trustworthy. Yes, the task maybe overwhelming, but be seen to be working on that thing like your young life depends on it. Try. What is overwhelming today will be your practice run tomorrow. You'll eat that thing up for breakfast! I'll give you more pointers again. I'm tempted to say: 'Agree?' like some posts 😄 but I don't understand why you'd disagree in the first place, so there's that 😅 😄 #JuniorQS #GraduateQS #QSs