Graduates

We are proud of the investment we make in our graduate employees. As a successful and growing industry leader, SQS continues to offer exciting opportunities for graduate level staff looking to develop their careers within a friendly and dynamic family owned business. We hope that with our support you will progress to a managerial or senior level position that makes the most of your talents.

You will spend time both on site and in the office, working on a variety of projects, to give you a broad-base of knowledge about the SQS business. You will be supported in your day-to-day work by a line manager and encouraged to continue your professional development through training and participant in relevant industry forums.

Typically, we are looking to recruit graduates with an accredited degree in engineering, construction or business related subjects.

However, we recognise the value in a wide range of degree studies and welcome applications from job candidates able to demonstrate the aptitude to apply their learning to new and varied situations.

Please search for managerial and professional opportunities on our current vacancies list, or alternatively submit your CV to recruitment@sqsltd.co.uk

What our under-graduates say

“I started my degree in Sep 2015, this was one of the proudest moment of my life, not just for me but for my family too, as I left school with very little. I made mistakes when I was younger but going back to studying was that extra life line I was given to put things right!”

“I feel more developed and I have a clear vision of exactly where I want to go, and what I want to be. SQS continues to support my growth by allowing me to go to university one day a week to further my education, which is amazing”

Alex’s Story

Alex shares her story about her continued professional development at SQS.

Why I chose to join SQS

I was attracted to join SQS because of their commitment to continued professional development. I already possessed a degree from university and was impressed with the structured commercial training programme that SQS would provide to help me to continue to grow and develop in my chosen profession. I know SQS also take on junior staff with a view to helping them to develop into graduates. The training is paid for by SQS but with the proviso that any decision to leave the business could result in some or all of the fees being paid back.

What was your first role at SQS?

I started as a Trainee Quantity Surveyor in the Commercial Team. We are the team responsible for converting the work that SQS undertakes into income and understanding the commercial performance of the contracts. When I started I spent time out-and-about with the contract teams to get a good understanding of how the business operates. The Trainee QS role required management of high volumes of data, analysing work and starting to understand the construction process. It was a steep learning curve but I thoroughly enjoyed getting to learn a lot about an industry I had never thought twice about before.

How has your career developed since then?

After 18 months in the Trainee QS role I was given the opportunity to go back to university and do a Master’s Degree in Quantity Surveying. This was a challenging yet rewarding experience. After a further two years’ part-time study I was awarded a postgraduate diploma from the university and also promoted to Quantity Surveyor at SQS. I am currently working on my dissertation in the hope of being awarded my Master’s later in the year. I am also keen to start my Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) and work towards becoming a Chartered Surveyor.

What advice would you give someone considering a career at SQS?

It’s a great company to work for. The utilities sector may not be perceived as exciting as some other industries, but I have found it a stimulating and rewarding place to develop my career. SQS has always set its stall out on delivering their services differently, and as such it is a dynamic and forward-thinking employer. I was given the responsibility to identify the appropriate degree course for my development and then approached SQS for sponsorship. They supported me with around 30 study days per year as well as paying the course fees.

Graduate level entrants at SQS are supported through a combination of:

  • Practical on-the-job experience
  • Continued professional development
  • Technical and commercial training
  • First line management skills