Diamond Build plc Construction Traineeships
Thank you for clicking through to our webpage to find out more about the construction traineeships which we are promoting to schools and colleges throughout north and east London for our sister company, Diamond Build plc.
About Diamond Build plc
Diamond Build Plc was founded in 1977 and has over 40 years’ experience as a construction industry contractor. The company carries out work primarily for the public sector across a wide range of property types, including social housing, including numerous housing refurbishment and adaptations, new build schemes, sheltered housing, education and healthcare, commercial premises and listed buildings. Diamond Build employs over 70 staff.
Accreditations
Accreditations are vital in the construction industry as they show a company is compliant with their specific industry requirements and standards. Diamond Build is a registered Chartered Building Company and is thereby bound by a code of professional conduct.
Careers
With a Silver Investors in People accreditation, Diamond Build plc promotes excellence and continued professional development in its staff. They currently employ four management trainees studying construction and quantity surveying, and three apprentice carpenters.
Our current and past trainees:
Harry Moore
After studying L3 sports science at college in Chingford, I was offered a soccer scholarship to study at a US college. It sounded like a dream but the course did not live up to expectations and I returned home. I found a summer job as a labourer at Diamond Build which gave me an insight into the construction industry. I was soon very keen to learn more about the management jobs in the company and so applied for, and was offered, a construction management traineeship. 
I am in my first year of the traineeship and the experience so far has been great. Firstly I spent three months in estimating where I learnt about the different types of drawings used to estimate costs; getting costs from suppliers; discovering the legal and contractual subtleties to putting an estimate together and finally how a final price is decided. I am now working in bid writing which is about what makes us eligible to carry out a particular job and our credentials for why we would be the best supplier. The next stage of my training will be in a site office. I am also studying BSc quantity surveying and commercial management at the University of Westminster on day release. I am so pleased I came back from the US and discovered this company, I am learning all the time and one day hope to be my own boss!
Ben Hoskins
I left school at 16 to fulfil my ambition to become a carpenter at Diamond Build. I was soon on day release as the company is very committed to developing their staff – I studied firstly for the NVQ L2 in carpentry and joinery at NESCOT college, and then did the L3 course in carpentry and joinery and finally the advanced L3 joinery diploma. During this time I was also learning more and more about the construction industry and as a carpenter I was involved in practically all the aspects of building projects. I was keen to progress my career and studied for an HNC in construction management at Guildford College. With more experience under my belt, I became one of Diamond Build’s construction management trainees. I then enrolled onto the fourth year of a five year part-time construction management degree at London South Bank University. At Diamond Build I have been able to gain experience in all areas of the business from estimating to site management, and bid writing to surveying. This experience has given me greater confidence and with it I have been given more responsibility. I also like dealing with people in the company and also with our many suppliers, contractors and customers.
James Ratcliffe
My family had always been involved in the construction industry but unlike my father who was acarpenter, I wanted to work in the office! After leaving school, which I didn’t really enjoy, I joined Diamond Build as a management trainee. The career development structure was very good with regular salary increases and also lots of emphasis on training; the first course I did was ONC in building studies at Tottenham College – after this I went on to do an HNC in building studies and then the GNVQ in cost planning estimating. As a trainee, I spent time in major works in the contracts department where I was involved in estimating; I also spent time in accounts and on-site project management. I enjoyed the traineeship and gained a broad knowledge of the business and the exposure I was given to all aspects of the business, together with the day release, helped me realise that I liked the money and numbers side and so this combination led me to choose a surveying/ estimating as my career path. The experience was excellent and taught me a great deal in all areas of construction – I am enjoying helping to grow the business.
Thomas O’Keefe
After gaining four A levels, I started a traineeship with one of Diamond Build’s competitors. It was similar in structure with on-the-job training and one day a week spent studying a BSc Quantity Surveying and Management at the University of Greenwich. It was during day release that I met a Diamond Build trainee and he told me about what a great company it is. This intrigued me and after an interview I transferred across and I’ve been at Diamond Build ever since. 
My attraction to Diamond Build was in the prospects it offered and the greater ownership of projects and the contributions I was invited to make in decision making processes. This in turn has enabled me to learn much more and grow in confidence. I started out in small works estimating (jobs up to £500K) and after 18 months I transferred to major works (all jobs over £501K). The highlights have been working on various sites: at a primary school extending and refurbishing; at a hospital converting an old building into a teaching space, and at another secondary school on another extension. Being on-site has enabled me to get more involved in the design and build aspects of those projects. I am now working as an estimator; I enjoy having deadlines and interacting with sub-contractors pricing up work and contributing to the success of the company as it competes for contracts.
How to apply
We hope that you will be interested to apply to become a construction trainee at Diamond Build. The company is seeking an A level / L3 leaver (aged around 18) who will join the company and train for a L4 NVQ, HND or Bachelors degree. This is a great opportunity for anyone who has just completed their A, AS, L3 or equivalent qualification and provides the chance to start in employment (starting salary £12,500), and to have all their university/college fees paid for them. Once qualified, the final salary will be circa £50k.
