Fintan Dauncey

Quantity Surveying MSc

Fintan originally studied Accounting and Finance, but when looking for jobs, a graduate Quantity Surveyor role stood out to him. Working full-time alongside his part-time Master’s course, Fintan has now completed his studies and been promoted to Quantity Surveyor at Gleeds. 

“I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do career-wise, so I originally did my undergraduate degree in Business, Accounting and Finance. From there, I did some seasonal work in France and America whilst I was figuring out my next steps.

Then, I started applying for jobs which included being a Trainee Quantity Surveyor, but it became apparent that I would need to do a Master's course to become eligible. So, I did a part-time course whilst working the other four days at Gleeds, which aided my university work.

My experience of university was challenging at times, as I was juggling my full-time job with university, so finding a balance was tough whilst aiming to pass with a distinction. This was something I achieved, however, which also prepared me for the workload in the future with my Assessment of Professional Competence (APC).

The course gave me a good understanding of areas that I had not yet come across in my work. The broad-brush approach with many modules, covering as many aspects as possible, allowed me to have a foothold in multiple industry conversations. This is key in an industry with so much variety and it has aided me to progress quickly.

Nowadays, I am a Quantity Surveyor at Gleeds, who I have been with for nearly three years. When I graduated, I was promoted to a Quantity Surveyor position and have since taken on the additional role of Social Value Champion for the region. I enjoy the variety in my job, as I can work on multiple projects which thousands of people will use.

Something I’ve struggled with in my career has been ‘taking the rough with the smooth,’ a phrase a director advised me on very early, meaning there will be points of stress and high workloads but there will also be calmer points, or perks such as work socials, so it's important to know and remember that in the rough points.

Another example of this is around university deadlines, knowing that it's a point in time and after getting the task done, you will have your time back.

In the future, I am hoping to secure a strong and stable career enabling me to provide and live a comfortable life with my family. The degree and APC will be the foundation blocks of this as they are things that can never be taken away from you.

My advice to anyone considering studying the MSc Quantity Surveying course would be to attend all lectures, as it’s the base line of university and the best way to learn.

To me, ‘I AM BCU’ means that I am part of a group of people that have achieved. Especially with my classmates who have gone on to complete a Masters. Whilst it was something I was required to do; I am now a part of a small proportion of society that can say they have a Master's degree.”