Trainee Quantity Surveyor - Year In Industry - Nottingham

Gleeds Corporate Services Ltd; Nottingham; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 22,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

Competitive salary

Graduate opportunities

Employee benefits

Job summary

Gleeds is offering a 12‑month Cost Management placement as part of a university degree. You’ll join a project team, support Cost Managers and Quantity Surveyors, and gain hands‑on experience across the full cost management lifecycle on high‑profile construction projects.

You’ll develop commercial and technical skills, benefit from mentoring, and have a clear pathway to our graduate programme within Gleeds.

Qualifications

• Currently studying toward a degree in quantity surveying or a built environment discipline, with a 12‑month industrial placement forming part of your course.
• Right to live and work in the UK.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Proactive attitude and willingness to take on new challenges.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to cost planning and budgeting across design and procurement stages.
• Assist with tender evaluations and contract management.
• Support cost managers with cost estimates and cost‑in‑use studies.
• Engage with multidisciplinary teams to deliver projects.

Skills

Excellent communication

Strong organisational skills

Attention to detail

Proactive attitude

Team collaboration

Right to live and work in the UK

Education

Pursuing degree in Quantity Surveying or built environment

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Launch your career with Gleeds – a global consultancy shaping the future of the built environment.

We're looking for enthusiastic Cost Management Year Out Placement students to join us for a 12-month placement as part of their university degree. If you're looking to gain hands‑on experience, work on exciting construction projects, and develop your commercial and technical skills alongside industry‑leading professionals, then a placement with Gleeds is the perfect opportunity.

At Gleeds, we believe in building long‑term relationships with our people as well as our clients. Our placement students are valued members of our teams, given meaningful responsibilities, and supported throughout their placement to develop the skills, confidence and experience needed for a successful career in the built environment.

During your placement, you'll benefit from:

• Real project experience across a range of high‑profile developments
• Mentoring and support from experienced cost managers and quantity surveyors
• Opportunities to develop your commercial, technical and client‑facing skills
• Exposure to the full project lifecycle, from early design through to construction and completion
• Insight into professional pathways and future graduate opportunities with Gleeds

The Role

Ready to gain real‑world cost management experience? From your first day, you'll become part of a project team, supporting Cost Managers and Quantity Surveyors to help deliver successful projects for our clients. You'll develop an understanding of how construction projects are cost planned, procured and controlled, while working alongside a range of construction professionals.

What does a Cost Manager do?

Cost Managers play a key role in managing the financial aspects of construction projects, helping clients understand, control and optimise project costs from the earliest stages of design through to completion.

• Cost planning: Estimating budgets and costs throughout the design process.
• Procurement: Advising on how to hire contractors and managing the tender process.
• Contract management: Drafting contracts, handling changes, and resolving disputes.
• Cost control: Monitoring spending, forecasting cash flow, and maximising value.
• Project close‑out: Finalising accounts, ensuring payments, and reviewing performance.

Your role will encompass (but is not limited to) the following:

• Contribute to high‑quality service delivery across projects.
• Support Cost Managers in providing accurate and timely outputs.
• Assist with preparing cost estimates, cost plans, cost‑in‑use studies, and tender documentation.
• Help manage tender processes, including evaluations and reporting.
• Support contract administration, valuations, payments, final accounts, and client reporting.

This placement offers an excellent opportunity to gain practical experience across the full cost management and project lifecycle, while developing the commercial, analytical and professional skills required for a successful career in cost consultancy and quantity surveying.

What we're lookingfor

We'relooking forstudents who arecurious, motivated andeager to learn.

You’ll ideally have:

• Excellent communicationand interpersonal skills
• Strong organisational skillsand attention todetail
• Confidence using MicrosoftOffice applications
• A proactive attitudeand willingness totake on newchallenges
• The ability towork collaboratively withinmultidisciplinary teams
• The right tolive and workin the UK
• Be currently studyingtowards a degreein quantity surveying or another builtenvironment discipline,with a12‑month industrialplacementforming partofyour course

Why Gleeds?

A year outplacement at Gleedsgives you theopportunity to gainmeaningful experience,build your professionalnetwork, and makea realcontributionto projects thatshape the builtenvironment.

Many of ourplacement students goon to joinour graduate programmeafter completing theirdegree, making thisan excellent firststep towards along‑term careerwith Gleeds.

If this sounds like the opportunity you're looking for, we'd love to hear from you.

What benefits can you expect from Gleeds?

At Gleeds, we know people power our success, which is why we are constantly evaluating our benefits offering to make sure everyone knows how valued they are here:

• 25 days annual leave, plus bank holidays and the option to purchaseadditionaldays.
• Highly competitive salary and the opportunity to increase this through continuous reviews.
• Volunteering opportunities to engage with your local community or charitable organisations.
• Employee Assistance Programme to ensure your health and personal well‑being comes first.
• Expand your horizons with global opportunities available to everyone.
• Agile ways of working arrangements to ensure you have a healthy work‑life balance.
• A supportive and people‑focused company that is a recognised Great Place To Work 2025
• Access to a health cash plan, which includes access to discounts on gym memberships, health products and experience days.

Gleeds is a global property and construction consultancy with over 150 years of expertise, operating in 28 countries worldwide. From iconic landmarks to critical infrastructure, we drive innovation, sustainability and value, delivering transformative projects that shape communities and redefine the built environment.

Gleeds is committed to an inclusive workplace where everyone feels respected and valued. We uphold the principles of Fairness, Inclusion and Respect (FIR) and embrace the diversity of our teams. As an equal opportunities employer, we provide support, flexibility and accessibility for all. If you require reasonable adjustments, please contact our Talent Team at [e-mail]