In a few months i will be unemployed, and starting to think about what i want to do.

Thinking about what i do and what i know, i have two ideas, Accountant or QS, in the real world which is easier to get into and which is more likely to offer me a training position?

I am well aware that the building trade in screwed but give it 6 months and may be it will pick up?

the building trade is screwed but give it 6 months and may be it will pick up?

Well if it doesn't in 6 months, then it will in 12, and so on ……

Sooner or later, the construction industry has to recover – unlike car manufacturing, coal, etc, it can't just simply 'disappear' or be replaced with 'imported' buildings 😯

off topic
imported you say?

Obviously the way forward mrmo ………our schools, hospitals, office blocks, and housing estates, of the future, will come from Germany !

my current employer is part of a multi-national indian owned enterprise. Our owner also owns Jaguar Land Rover, all our managers drive Audis and Beemers…

So why not import houses as well as cars.

No reason at all – just need big ships and big lorries.

……or will we be doing our own erections ? 😕

……or will we be doing our own erections ?

what do you think the Poles are for?

LOL !

On order to QS you'll probably need to degree and go from there. If (as you're steel based) you might be able to try someone like Franklin & Andrews or other companies like that and sell your experience with steel etc.
Alternatively try someof the engineering companies like Scotts ot Motts and see if you can bring industry experience (which they might like).
Alternatively – become a barrista!

Done a bit of digging, In Gloucestershire i have come up with 100 companies, Main Contractors and QS's, Architect practices, that may employ QS. Just got to figure out how to go forward. I guess those companies i have directly dealt with are the best to start with as i know that some of there business involves what i know. In theory i can offer a bit more to them whilst i learn.

From a standing start what would convince an employer i am serious, without me signing up to a QS course at my expense?

If you want to be a QS and are after training from an employer, you may want to think about starting out as an estimator. Similar principles to the basic elements of QS but without the contract stuff and probably an easier fit for someone with specific knowledge.

Good luck though.

Being a QS is a good job if you enjoy dealing with simpletons 🙂

Plum

Oi ! I resent that – building workers ain't necessarily simpletons.

.

…… don't know about plumbers though – who the **** wants to rummage around people's toilets for a living ? 😯

spend enough time picking up the pieces of contractors and architects ideas as it is to know some of what goes on.

ernie IIRC Plum is not actually a plumber 🙂

Ah, he's a fraud then crispy bacon ?

…… worst than I thought 😯

Ah, he's a fraud then crispy bacon ?

possibly ernie – perhaps he's a QS 😆

You don't want to be an accountant you want to be…a Lion Tamer

E L – I wasn't refering to building labourers as I find them to be the salt of the earth in most instances – I was refering to Engineers, Architects and the like as Simpletons – actually w~~kers is a more apt description

Plum – not a plumber