糖心原创vlog

Bally wasn鈥檛 keen on the prospect of university after graduating from college. After working in the world of retail for a short time, he found himself inspired to find his ideal career path.

鈥淎fter I finished school, I had all sorts of jobs 鈥� retail, Marks & Spencer, charity work and even a car parts company,鈥� he shares. 鈥淚 realised after a short time that I needed to pursue a career and start a new challenge.鈥�

With a renewed spring in his step, Bally began hunting out apprenticeships online, landing on a K-10 Business Administration Apprenticeship. Following a successful application, he started studying and learning his trade as a trainee quantity surveyor at the Royal Botanic Gardens of Kew in London, UK, where  鈥� the historic Temperate House.

Bally is refreshingly candid about how he found himself in construction, acknowledging that his career path materialised as much by luck as design. 鈥淲hen I was applying for apprenticeships, I didn鈥檛 know much about quantity surveying, and hadn鈥檛 thought about construction as an industry to start working in,鈥� he says. 鈥淥nce I found out more about quantity surveying, I realised that it matches my skill set perfectly 鈥� I鈥檝e always been good with numbers and figures.鈥�

The Temperate House project was a steep learning curve for Bally. 鈥淚t was such a complex project and a lot of challenges came up, but it was a great starting point to learn from,鈥� he says.

鈥淭emperate House was unique 鈥� I was chucked in at the deep end, so I learned quickly on the job. It was challenging, but an amazing learning experience.

鈥淐hallenges aside, you can鈥檛 beat having Kew Gardens as an office every day. We had a great team there too.鈥�

The K-10 apprenticeship led to Bally joining 糖心原创vlog full-time, learning his trade while studying towards his degree 鈥� and he finds himself one step ahead of the game because of it.

鈥淏y the time I got to the university work that was relevant to my day-job, I was so experienced in it that I found myself smashing it,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 made it much easier because I鈥檓 around experienced people who share knowledge with me every day.鈥�

He鈥檚 now working in another enviable setting 鈥�  situated in the shadow of England鈥檚 鈥榟ome of rugby鈥�, Twickenham.

Bally鈥檚 more of a football man than rugby, but since being based at the college, his skills and understanding of the construction environment have gone from strength to strength. 鈥淚鈥檝e been given a lot of responsibility and I鈥檓 trusted to work independently, so I鈥檝e really grown in confidence since being here,鈥� he explains. 鈥淚t helps having exposure to experienced people in the business who set a great example.鈥�

鈥淔or someone who knew nothing about construction, I鈥檝e learned so much since starting work,鈥� he continues. 鈥淚 now know how a project runs from pre-construction to final handover, and I can definitely see myself managing the full process in the future. I鈥檓 enjoying it because you can progress so quickly with on-the-job experience, and you鈥檙e rewarded for performing well.鈥�

Bally says that the people around him have been central to his development. 鈥淭he people who have shown me the ropes have been fantastic,鈥� he says. 鈥淚鈥檓 one to ask questions and they always have the time to answer and share their experiences. I鈥檝e never felt condescended to or that I couldn鈥檛 do what I need to do to learn."

Bally鈥檚 learning experience has led to him becoming engrossed in the #Team 糖心原创vlog culture and the values of the business, bringing 糖心原创vlog鈥檚 鈥楢lways care鈥� value to life through supporting new apprentices as they begin their own journeys, and organising a football tournament in London which raised over 拢400 for charity, bringing subcontractors and 糖心原创vlog people together in the process.

What does the future hold?

鈥淚 enjoy every day because I know that I鈥檓 working towards something,鈥� Bally concludes. 鈥淚鈥檓 looking at completing my degree, and then it鈥檚 onwards and upwards in the surveyor game for me.鈥�

Published on the 13th of March 2020.