Ben Stansfield

Who do you work for and what do they do?

I work for David Wilson Homes East Midlands, who build luxury homes in the East Midlands and across the country.

Describe what you do in your role.

At the moment I’m on the Barratt Developments Graduate Scheme. In my first year in this scheme, I have rotated around six departments in the company (Technical, Commercial, Land, Sales, Construction and Finance). I spent 8 weeks in each department, learning what they do and gaining invaluable experience about that area. In my second year, I’ll move into the Commercial Department to start my training as a Surveyor.

What’s your favourite thing about your job?

I really enjoy how varied my job can be, every day you’re reacting to something new, or are given a different challenge.

Another great part of my job is that I get interact with all different departments in the company. This means that the industry and the company are extremely social, and often one job will require input and involvement from several departments. 

How do you see your career progressing?

In the long term, I just want to see how far I can go in my career, but as a short-term goal I am focusing on getting my training done and qualifying as a surveyor. The brilliant thing about construction, and especially the career path I’ve chosen as a surveyor, is that it can take you almost anywhere. This means you can move into almost all types of construction, and all across the country, and potentially all over the world.

What would you say to someone thinking about a career in construction?

Make sure you get as much work experience as possible. This will give you a flavour of what you want to do, but it also shows your passion, enthusiasm and determination to succeed to potential employers, which is great for the long-term.

My other advice would be to keep up to date with the developments and changes that take place in the construction industry. Things are constantly changing, especially in house building, and these changes are often vital to what we do on a daily basis and ensuring that project keeps going. These changes could be anything from government policy to building techniques or customer trends. If you keep yourself up to date with what’s going on in the industry you will be far more appealing to an employer.