Every now and then, we like to use our blog to shine the spotlight on a member of our team, explaining what their role is at Sheriff Construction and also revealing a little bit about their homelife and personality.
For the sixth feature in this blog series, we’ve been talking to Lamanda Mahmutaj who is our first ever Apprentice Quantity Surveyor, currently studying at London South Bank University alongside her role at Sheriff. Read on to find out more of her story.
Introducing Lamanda
Having spent her early childhood in Albania, Lamanda moved to Liverpool, England in 2015 where she and her immediate family lived for the next seven years. Looking back at that time, Lamanda describes Liverpool as a “thrilling city to enjoy” and a place that “broadened my mind to new cultures and ways of living.”
In 2022, Lamanda and her family decided to move to Luton because this is where several other members of her extended family had settled. In Luton, Lamanda completed her GCSEs and, knowing that she wanted to go into a career related to numeracy, she then took a Level 3 business diploma at Central Bedfordshire College which enabled her to develop her accounting and finance skills.
Having undertaken some weekend waitressing and barista work previously, Lamanda joined Sheriff in June 2022, initially for some part-time work experience. Now 18-years-old, Lamanda is our first Apprentice Quantity Surveyor, a role she has been in since September 2023. At the same time, Lamanda joined the student body at London South Bank University (LSBU), embarking on a 6-year part-time Chartered Quantity Surveying Degree Apprenticeship.
Let’s hear what Lamanda has to say about her work:
“When I first joined Sheriff for work experience, I wasn’t sure what to expect but I soon found I was really enjoying my time in the office and it felt almost like a hobby to me. Being given the opportunity to take up a Degree Apprenticeship with the company has now turned that hobby into my first career.
“Since September, I have been shadowing and assisting my seniors in a wide range of areas, including valuations, health and safety, buying, estimating, tendering, procurement, monthly meetings, updates on tenders and variations. I’ve also had opportunities to pick up new skills, for instance by undertaking training in Electronic Integrity leak testing and First Aid.
“Currently, I am assisting with pricing a new project, procurement, accreditation and training in programmes, Limon Homes testing and building control.
“I’ve learnt a lot already, but there’s a long way to go and my lack of experience can make this work challenging at times, particularly when dealing with arising problems. Despite that, I’m really enjoying being part of the team and happy to be working for a company where I can see my career will develop and grow.”
Turning the conversation to how she’s combining her work at Sheriff with life as a student at LSBU, Lamanda says:
“Over the next six years, I’ll be studying a range of modules that will lead me to eventually becoming a Chartered Quantity Surveyor. Currently, I attend University one day per week and am studying Construction Technology and Materials, Construction Practice, Legal and Economics.
“Because there’s so much to fit in alongside my work with Sheriff, I’m finding that time management is crucial. It’s an adjustment while I try to find a balance between my work, student and personal lives.
“I do really enjoy being in London for University as it feels really motivating for me to see the buzz of city life. I would also definitely recommend a degree apprenticeship as it not only offers you a broad knowledge of the subject but also the opportunity to further develop your skills so that you can be prepared for the workplace and exceed in your desired career path. For me, that means developing my skills as a QS so as to one day use them as an entrepreneur.”
And in her spare time?
With her busy schedule, we wondered if Lamanda had time for anything else in her life? She told us she likes to spend time with friends and family, loves to dance and is excited at the prospect of travelling to different places in the future.
However, she also said that, in many ways, both her studies and work are related to the things she enjoys personally:
“I find learning new languages is always interesting. I’m currently enrolled on a mandarin course which will start in January. I also enjoy networking and meeting new people so I find working at Sheriff with various clients, as well as being class rep and student ambassador at LSBU, is great for that.”
We would like to thank Lamanda for sharing her story with us today and wish her every success as she progresses her career with us.
Are you working on a project for Sheriff Construction? If you’d like us to feature a piece about you and the job you’re doing right now, please get in touch. Comment on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages.
18.12.2023
Feature image: Freepik/ Sheriff Construction
