James Grinnell

Q&A: As we’re nearing the end of National Apprenticeship Week, we asked one employer what they look for in an apprentice

The Built Environment sector is currently experiencing a critical skills shortage. When the recession hit in 2008, the sector lost around 140,000 jobs. But we need construction talent more than…

National Apprenticeship Week blog series: UCEM Principal, Ashley Wheaton, addresses Philip Hammond (Chancellor of the Exchequer)

Dear Philip Hammond As part of National Apprenticeship Week, it’s only right that we celebrate the successes. Just this week at University College of Estate Management (UCEM), we have enrolled an…

National Apprenticeship Week blog series: UCEM Principal, Ashley Wheaton, addresses Sam Gyimah (Minister for Higher Education)

Dear Sam Gyimah At the launch of the Office for Students which I attended last week, I was pleased to hear you make fair access to university one of the…

National Apprenticeship Week blog series: UCEM Principal, Ashley Wheaton, addresses Damian Hinds (Secretary of State for Education)

Dear Damian Hinds Since September 2015 UCEM has been at the forefront of one of the key aspects of the apprenticeship reforms, by delivering degree apprenticeships that lead directly to…
Architect and foreman in front of a building

My life in the Built Environment: Guest blog by David Hunt, UCEM’s BSc Access Module Leader

Early interest in real estate I wanted to do a job where I would not be stuck in an office all day. The big attraction of real estate when I…

National Apprenticeship Week blog series: UCEM Principal, Ashley Wheaton, addresses Greg Clark (Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy)

Dear Greg Clark The Industrial Strategy White Paper published late last year recognised the importance of the Built Environment to the UK economy. It promised action for the construction industry…
A surveyor using a total station with the sunset in the background

National Apprenticeship Week Spotlight: Building on my career through a Quantity Surveying Apprenticeship

In this special National Apprenticeship Week case study blog, we speak with Patrice Weekes who’s currently studying the Quantity Surveying pathway of UCEM’s Surveying Technician apprenticeship programme while working for…
Construction equipment

National Apprenticeship Week Case Study: Yehya Hawila, Assistant Quantity Surveyor at Costain

We last spoke to Yehya during National Apprenticeship Week 2017 so we thought it would be nice to catch up with him again to see what he’d been up to…

National Apprenticeship Week blog series: UCEM Principal, Ashley Wheaton, addresses Anne Milton (Minister of State at the Department for Education)

Dear Anne Milton National Apprenticeship Week is the perfect time to take stock of all the excellent work going on around the country to deliver high quality apprenticeships. Since 2015…
Principal Thoughts

Principal Thoughts: How are the delayed apprenticeship standards affecting the Built Environment skills crisis?

Welcome to the latest edition of Ashley Wheaton’s ‘Principal Thoughts’. This time, Ashley looks at the impact the apprenticeship standards hold-up is having on the Built Environment skills pipeline –…
Cranes at sunset

My life in Construction Management: Guest blog by Graham Hough, UCEM Programme Leader for the BSc (Hons) Construction Management programme

‘Something different’ When I was at school, I didn’t want to stay on to do A levels. It was either that or engineering. I fancied something different. It seems everyone…
A surveyor using a total station with the sunset in the background

My life in Quantity Surveying: Guest blog by Amanda Milambo, UCEM Programme Leader for the BSc (Hons) Quantity Surveying programme

Journey into quantity surveying I was always interested in construction and, in particular, architecture. I had never heard of quantity surveying before until I went to Copperbelt University in Zambia…