Name: Gabriel John
Job title: Apprentice quantity surveyor, Gateley Vinden
What I do: I provide and assist both pre- and post-contract duties including, but not limited to, the preparation of estimates, tender documentation and tender analysis, as well as valuations, cost control reports and attending, chairing and contributing to progress meetings on schemes across the residential, commercial and education sectors.
Why I got into the property industry: I didn’t have any prior knowledge or experience of the property industry before my apprenticeship and, being honest, there wasn’t much promotion of the available careers within this sector when I was looking at my next step after completing my A Levels. However, after speaking with someone about a quantity surveying apprenticeship opportunity and conducting my own research, I felt the role and apprenticeship route was right for me. Now I’m in the fourth year of my apprenticeship, I can say that joining the property industry has been the best decision I’ve made to date, and I love the variety it offers.
How I did it: I was working at Marks & Spencer on the shop floor both during and after my A Levels where I got talking to a customer who was in the construction industry. One conversation led to another, and I was eventually invited to interview for a quantity surveying degree apprenticeship role at Gateley Vinden. It might have been an unorthodox way into the industry; however, it certainly demonstrated to me the importance of networking and making key connections.
My first proper job: My first proper role was as a customer assistant at Marks & Spencer, and I’ve actually found that a lot of the skills I learnt and developed during this time have transferred over to my role as a quantity surveyor. This includes managing customer expectations which is similar to managing client relationships.
My first big break: Managing my own live residential project with a contract value of £14.5m.
My inspiration(s): My family, especially my niece Halle. My family have always supported me since a young age and encouraged me to be the best version of myself in all aspects of my life.
The biggest challenge I’ve encountered to date: When I first started my apprenticeship, it was challenging figuring out how to best balance my workload alongside my university studies, all while trying to keep some work-life balance. Thanks to valuable support from both Gateley Vinden and my university link tutor, I’m now in control and have a good structure in place. My apprenticeship definitely keeps me busy, but it’s highly rewarding and it’s brilliant to be gaining valuable hands-on experience while completing my degree.
My greatest achievement/proudest moment to date: This was definitely being announced as the winner of the ‘Young Apprentice of the Year’ accolade at Insider’s North West Young Professionals Awards 2025. It was a really competitive category covering a range of sectors and I didn’t expect to win at all. Being nominated by Gateley Vinden and receiving that level of recognition really meant a lot and it certainly boosted my confidence.
The biggest misconception people have about the property industry: Quantity surveyors are frequently confused with architects, engineers or project managers. While these roles overlap in some areas, each has distinct responsibilities, and this blurred understanding leads to misconceptions. Traditionally, quantity surveyors were seen purely as cost estimators. Today, they are deeply involved in sustainability, risk management and lifecycle costing. Because the role has evolved, many still hold outdated views of what a quantity surveyor actually does.
My biggest bugbear about the industry/the one thing I would change about the industry: During my time at school and college, I found there to be a real lack of promotion and initiatives raising awareness of property and construction roles to entice the next generation of talent. Since then, I have supported opportunities to promote construction apprenticeships, such as taking part in panel insight discussions and attending careers fairs, and I hope this change continues for future students.
Why I’m so passionate about DE&I: DE&I is vital for the future of the industry, and I have supported various initiatives including Regeneration Brainery. As a social mobility programme, Regeneration Brainery aims to narrow the skills gap and increase diversity in the property industry by inspiring and supporting young people from under-represented backgrounds. It’s been a pleasure to have the opportunity to present quantity surveying as a career option to the 16–18-year-old students and give back in ways that I wish were available to me at their age.
Why I’m so passionate about ESG: ESG transforms the role of a quantity surveyor from purely cost management to strategic, value-based project management within an ever-changing regulatory landscape. Given how much construction projects contribute to global carbon emissions, quantity surveyors play an essential part in managing ‘green’ costs, actively finding ways to reduce the carbon footprint of projects and delivering sustainable and future-proof schemes.
Where I’d like to be in five years’ time career-wise: I would have liked to have completed both my quantity surveying degree at the University of Salford and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) and be leading my own team and inspiring the next generation of talent.
Who I’d invite, living or dead, to a dinner party: I’d invite Liam Gallagher. Since 2017, I have seen Liam live – with and without Oasis – 18 times.
What I do in my downtime: Outside of work, you can find me at Toughsheet Community Stadium as a loyal Bolton Wanderers supporter, a music gig or in the gym.
The job I’d be doing if I was not doing this: With a keen interest in football and music, I would have definitely pursued a career in football or music journalism. I previously took part in work experience at Bolton Wanderers, where I supported with the production of behind-the-scenes matchday videos and even went into the stands interviewing fans. An experience I thoroughly enjoyed.
My advice for someone just starting out: Work hard, be open to new opportunities and be a kind person – you just never know who you might be speaking to.
My motto/mantra: Everything happens for a reason.
The 9-15 February 2025 is National Apprenticeship Week. Click here to find out more details about the initiative.
