1. Tom Cansfield
BSc (Hons) Building Surveying
Job Title: Project Assistant
Salary: NA
Holiday: 20 days
Employer: Michael Dyson Associates
Ltd
- Multi disciplinary Housing
consultancy
- Surveying, Architecture, Contract
Coordinator, Asset Management,
Design, CDMC, Non Traditional
Housing, High rise, Eco Funding,
Procurement
Location: Cardiff
Location of work: UK Wide
Web : www.mdyson.co.uk
Site Locations
“I relocated to
Cardiff for my
placement year
with MDA”
“The job involved a
lot of travelling
around the UK, see
the places I have
visited below”
“MDA provided all the
equipment I needed,
and assigned me a
company pool car for
the year”
My Role
• As a Project Assistant I have been
involved in a wide range of roles such as
quality assurance, project management,
condition surveys, Clerk of Work duties,
and pre-contract matters such as
producing draft Tender Documentation.
• Once I learned MDA’s procedures, my
role then comprised of managing my time
between the jobs in hand.
• Most of my time was spent monitoring
the progress and quality of works on site.
This gave me the opportunity to pick up
construction jargon and become familiar
with technical details.
• A large portion of work is on non-
traditional properties which is an MDA
speciality. My role is usually to monitor
the quality of the External Wall Insulation
being fitted to non-traditional properties
and to ensure the works carried out are in
accordance with the design specification.
• I have been heavily involved with Clerk
of Works services at a new build site in
Swansea. The works comprised of 4
traditionally built blocks of flats.
• I have project managed a couple of my
own jobs which has given me an insight in
to the role of a project manager here at
MDA. A part of this was commercial
management, involving resource
planning, fee quotation and fee recovery.
• My role involved both office based and
on site activities.
• I have also been involved in invasive
surveys which provides real hands on
experience of the construction of
buildings.
Resources Used
• Personal safety is a priority, MDA
provide all required personal protective
equipment to be used on site.
• Travelling from site to site I used the
company pool car. The general day-to-
day equipment includes; pen, day book,
camera and phone.
• Occasionally I would require
equipment such as a; disto, ladder,
hammer drill, boroscope and damp
meter.
Skills & Knowledge Acquired
• Since working at MDA I have been able
to develop many of my RICS APC skills in
the form of competencies. With the
wide range of activities undertaken at
MDA, naturally I have been able to gain
experience in a large percentage of my
APC competencies such as:
•Building Pathology
•Construction technology and
environmental services
•Contract administration
•Design and specification
•Inspection
•Works progress and quality
management
•Housing maintenance, repair and
improvements
Challenges:
• Balancing my RICS, MDA workload
and university Work-based Research
Project module.
I have found a motivated mind-
set has taken me a long way
here at MDA. I have received
great feedback from my line
manager and hope to return
upon completion of my degree.
A positive work ethic is
beneficial to your colleagues,
as well as your personal
development.
“My only real concern
was moving to Cardiff. I
was soon at ease when I
met the friendly staff of
MDA”
“My advice is to always show a
keen, positive and motivated
mind-set. Placement is a huge
learning curve and the more you
put in to it… the more you will get
out”
My placement year gave
me a greater
understanding of what I
want to do in the future.
Working at MDA has
given me the confidence
to tackle my final year at
university.
“MDA helped me
develop my skillset,
ensuring I had
support at all
times”
“I have project
managed a couple
of my own jobs”