Apprenticeship Opportunities

Fully Funded Careers in Professional Construction

Wakemans are currently recruiting enthusiastic trainees, who are committed to pursuing a professional career in construction cost and project management.

These positions are based in our Birmingham office, where you will support our Quantity Surveyor professionals on a variety of projects in the Leisure and Hotel sector and the Industrial and Logistics sector on major development projects ranging from £1 million to £100 million for clients throughout the UK.

The trainees will receive paid work experience as a part of a professional team under the guidance of a Senior Quantity Surveyor, accuracy and attention to detail are important qualities.

Our Trainees will assist the management team on a variety of projects. This will include practical quantity surveying tasks and activities, actions to support colleagues and appropriate administrative duties associated with commercial / quantity surveying practices. The trainee will be working alongside Senior Quantity Surveyors and given the opportunity to travel to various sites as and when required to learn more about the projects.

Your fully funded RICS Accredited Apprenticeship will be undertaken at a local University over 5 years on a part-time basis on one day a week, receiving a wage for working the other 4 days a week in our Birmingham offices. Your degree will be fully paid by us with no student loan.

On joining Wakemans you must have achieved the following qualifications in your final exams with a view to enrolment at University in 2026 –

• Level 2 Maths Certificate – grade 4/GCSE grade C or above
• Level 2 English Certificate – grade 4/GCSE grade C or above Course entry requirements
• 112 UCAS tariff points from A/AS Level and/or Pearson BTEC Level 3 qualifications or equivalent

We are interviewing in April to start September 2025.
Please send your CV to careers@wakemans.com

Quantity Surveyor: (Residential and Commercial)

An exciting opportunity has become available for an ambitious Senior or Intermediate Quantity Surveyor to join our growing Residential and Commercial team in Birmingham. There are no specific requirements regarding prior experience, but candidates should be willing to work across various sectors. They should either have completed their APC or be on track to do so. The role requires a self-motivated individual with their own transport, who is willing to travel nationwide to sites and can work independently.

The ideal candidate will have the ambition and drive to deliver high-quality professional services, with excellent verbal and written communication skills at all levels, as well as strong client-facing abilities. They should possess effective problem-solving skills and the capability to provide innovative solutions. A good team player, they should be able to work with minimal supervision, using their initiative and maintaining a flexible approach to work while managing their time and priorities effectively.

The role involves working as part of a team to provide specialist consultancy and commercial advice, as well as delivering new build and refurbishment projects when required. Day-to-day activities will include pre-contract estimating, cost planning, procurement, and tendering of projects, applying value management techniques, producing contract documents, liaising with the client and design team, and monitoring site progress. You will attend site meetings, manage the commercial aspects and programme of projects, and handle post-contract duties, including issuing variations, valuations, cost reporting, and ensuring compliance with client and statutory requirements. Additionally, the candidate will be responsible for successfully agreeing Final Accounts and ensuring the timely completion of projects.  You may also be asked to assist with fund monitoring for residential and commercial projects.

This is an excellent opportunity for an enthusiastic candidate seeking to join a dynamic company and contribute to exciting, diverse projects across various sectors within a growing team.

Wakemans offer a competitive salary, car allowance and package.

Candidates should apply in writing attaching their current curriculum vitae and salary expectations to:- j.johnson@wakemans.com

Principal Designer & CDM Advisor

(Based in either Birmingham or Bristol)

Are you passionate about health and safety in construction? Wakemans, a thriving multi-disciplinary consultancy, is expanding our successful Health & Safety department. We’re looking for an experienced Principal Designer and CDM Advisor to provide expert construction health and safety guidance, CDM advice, and take on the Principal Designer role.

You’ll work across diverse sectors, including commercial, education, civil, housing, leisure, and logistics, managing exciting projects that make a real impact.

We’re seeking a driven professional who thrives on learning and personal growth, excels both independently and in a team, and can confidently manage projects, deadlines, and priorities.

At Wakemans, you’ll find opportunities for development, collaboration with a skilled team, and an environment where your expertise is valued.

Requirements

•  A confident individual who understands their abilities and limitations.
•  A detail-oriented and well-organised thinker with strong self-motivation, capable of working independently under broad direction.
•  A team player with the ability to manage individuals and collaborate effectively with colleagues.
•  Strong commercial acumen.
•  Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
•  Effective time management and the ability to plan and organise workload to meet deadlines with minimal supervision.
•  Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite for generating reports and documents.
•  Comprehensive understanding of CDM 2015 regulations and health and safety standards.
•  Proven experience as a CDM 2015 Principal Designer.
•  Construction site health and safety experience is essential; experience across diverse industry sectors is desirable.

Experience

•  Proven experience as a Principal Designer, including delivering both Principal Designer and Client CDM Advisor roles.
•  A NEBOSH General/Construction Certificate or Diploma, along with relevant professional memberships in health and safety.
•  Strong track record of building and maintaining relationships with project team members, as well as identifying and developing opportunities with both existing and new clients.
•  Demonstrated expertise in developing and improving management systems.
•  Extensive experience managing CDM projects, with the ability to oversee and drive them to successful completion.
•  Comprehensive understanding of health and safety within the construction industry, supported by on-site experience.

Roles / Responsibilities

•  Effectively communicate with contractors, designers, and clients through Design Team Meetings and Risk Workshops.
•  Review and monitor designers’ compliance with CDM 2015 regulations.
• Plan, coordinate, and manage the pre-construction phase of projects to ensure all CDM requirements are met.
• Provide relevant information to contractors, enabling them to manage health and safety effectively throughout the construction phase.
• Ensure consistent implementation of the company’s CDM policies and procedures.
• Conduct interim health and safety inspections and review on-site records to ensure compliance.
• Evaluate contractors’ Construction Phase Health & Safety Plans for adequacy and compliance.
• Prepare, review, and deliver the Health & Safety File to the client at project completion.

Candidates should hold a full driving licence and have access to their own vehicle and a willingness to travel for work.

Wakemans offer an individually focused and competitive package for the right candidate DOE; inclusive of Pension, Car allowance, 25 days holiday, Healthcare (after successful completion of probation period) Life Insurance and paid professional subscriptions.

Candidates should apply in writing attaching their current curriculum vitae and salary expectations to:- j.johnson@wakemans.com

Quantity Surveyor / Employer’s Agent  (Hotels New Builds and extensions)

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an ambitious Quantity Surveyor / Employer’s Agent to join our growing hotel and leisure team based in Birmingham.  You should have a minimum of three – five years’ experience, ideally in the hotel / leisure industry, and will have either completed your APC or be on the path to completion.  You need to be self-motivated, have your own transport, be willing to travel nationwide and be able to work on your own initiative.

You will have the ambition and drive to deliver a high-quality professional service, will possess excellent verbal and written communication skills and good Client facing skills.  You will have effective problem-solving skills, the ability to provide innovative solutions and be a good team player with the ability to work with the minimum of supervision.  The role will involve working as part of a team to deliver new build and refurbishment hotel projects, managing multiple projects from inception to completion.

To succeed in this role, you will need experience in contract administration, monthly reporting and managing the quality of projects.  The day-to-day activities will include managing estimating and cost planning activities, applying value management techniques, liaising with the Client and design team and ensuring compliance with the Client’s requirements.  You will be pro-actively monitoring and managing cost variance and contract cash flow and ensuring that applications are made correctly and in a timely manner. You will ensure that Final Accounts are negotiated and agreed and coordinate a successful Practical Completion.

This is an excellent opportunity for an enthusiastic candidate who is looking to join an expanding company and work on exciting projects nationwide.

You should apply in writing, attaching your current curriculum vitae and salary expectations, to j.johnson@wakemans.com

Maintenance / Archive / Gardener Key Duties

We are seeking an enthusiastic maintenance / archive / gardener Handy Person to carry out basic preventative and reactive maintenance including carpentry, basic plumbing, decorating, changing light tubes and general maintenance upkeep.

Your duties will be varied and you will be responsible for maintaining the gardens / car park in a tidy condition as well as assisting with archiving and health and safety duties.  For a full job description please click here.

Hours are 2 days per week (15 hours).
Own transport is essential.

Candidates should apply in writing indicating their experience in relation to the above job description to:- j.johnson@wakemans.com