Do you like to watch good football besides seeing your team win?
Are you interested in creative work?
Are you interested in buildings?
Do you like making decisions and accepting responsibility?
If so then read on
On all large building sites there is one person who fulfils a unique role inthe Building Team. That person is NOT part of the Contractors Staff butis appointed by the Owner of the Building to see the work is carried out inaccordance with the drawings and Specification produced by the Architectand the Bills of Quantities drawn up by the Quantity Surveyor.
This person is the Clerk of the Works
The title is first recalled by the monks in medieval monasteries where they were all Clerks in Holy Orders. The monk responsible for all the Building work was known as The Clerk of the Works. Geoffrey Chaucer, author of Canterbury Tales, was Clerk of the Kings Works and many other famous persons in history held this office.
In more modern days Clerks of Works are still employed on buildings of historic and national interest, places such as the Houses of Parliament - Westminster Abbey - St. Pauls Cathedral, and many others.
A competent Clerk of Works must have three very important qualities - Integrity - Ability - Vigilance. The position calls for an extensive knowledge of building and civil engineering operations and practices. The Clerk of Works must possess a degree of tact when dealing with people, the ability to persuade rather than dominate, and a sharp eye for details.
To acquire many of the qualities it is necessary to have spent a great deal of time on construction sites. Much of the experience can only be acquired on the site and is obviously an advantage when discussing programmes and methods of construction with the Contractor and site staff.
The rapid advance in technology today has made it difficult for anyone to supervise the complete works alone. This has resulted in Clerks of Works specialising in various forms of construction. For example more Clerks of Works are being employed on Heating and Ventilation - Plumbing - and Electrical Installations. Others deal with site development - roads - sewers, bridges and motorways or large engineering projects such as reservoirs, power stations, or hydro-electric schemes.
On Building work there is a choice of Hotels, Office Blocks, Hospitals, Housing or Industrial Buildings. The experienced Clerk of Works can supervise all kinds of work. Some Clerks of Works prefer to deal with maintenance and repair work which can be very specialised. The Clerk of Works can be employed by Local Authorities, Hospital Boards, National Undertakings, Ministry Departments, and large Industrial Concerns, Agricultural Establishments, large country estates and the Forestry Commission.
Although they are generally employed by the Client (owner), Private Architects sometimes employ their own Clerk of Works. With employers constantly seeking Clerks of Works there is unlimited opportunities for young persons following this career today provided they become suitably qualified in theory and practice.
The path to becoming a Clerk of Works today is best achieved by technical study up to T.E.C. Certificate Standard and then special study leading to the examinations of the Institute of Clerks of Works of Great Britain Incorporated which is the recognised professional qualification for a Clerk of Works. Student membership of the Institute can be achieved by following a recognised course leading to the Examinations.
Overseas Appointments
Anyone interested in working abroad will find unlimited opportunities as
Clerks of Works are constantly sought for appointments in Africa, India,
the Middle East and Far East.
Salaries
These vary according to experience and the area of operations
salaries in Britain range from £15,000 p.a. to £25,000 p.a. for qualified
Clerks of Works.
If you feel you have the qualities needed for this interesting and rewarding
career and wish to have more information or advice, write to:-
The Secretary,
Institute of Clerks of Works of Great Britain Incorporated,
Equinox
28 Commerce Road
Peterborough Business Park
Lynchwood
Peterborough PE2 6LR.
(Reg. Office).
Telephone: 01733 564 033
Fax No: 01733 558 839