Dom Huby joined Decipher fresh from completing his A-levels. Starting as a trainee quantity surveyor, Dom has recently completed his RICS chartership. We sat down with Dom to ask him about his journey with Decipher so far.
Tell us a bit about your education, background and how you ended up at Decipher?
When I was around 17 I was looking for an apprenticeship. I thought that would be a better option than to stay on at college. I applied for an admin apprenticeship with Decipher. I came along to an interview but the hiring team identified that I had some of the personality traits needed to become a quantity surveyor. They suggested I went back to school to finish my A levels and then come back and do a QS degree which they would fund and support me through.
Once I’d achieved my A levels in psychology, politics and computer science, I got back in touch with Decipher. True to their word, they offered me a role as a trainee QS and I began my degree at Salford University. It was great studying one day a week, whilst working in the quantity surveying team. It gave me a real advantage, I could see and apply what I was being taught into the real world of construction.
My first live project was one of the most interesting I’ve worked on. Congleton leisure centre went through a major £10m revamp and I was on site most days. It meant I got to see what happens on a real project, learning how a building comes together and the roles of everyone on site.
What is it like working at Decipher?
It’s great! I enjoy the variety of work we get involved in. Going from live projects to supporting the expert & disputes side of the business keeps it interesting. We have a really great team. We all get on and have a real community feel in the office.
What has been the biggest change since you started at Decipher?
Of course the obvious answer is the acquisition by DeSimone that happened just over 18 months ago. Now the dust has settled, it will be interesting to see how things evolve moving forward.
But more generally the overall growth of the business since I joined. We’re working on bigger projects and the variety of work has grown. When I joined we were a small team in Macclesfield and Manchester. The Manchester office has grown significantly since then and we’ve opened offices in London and Dubai.
What was the RICS Chartership process like? What do you think you have learnt from it?
It was hard work. You need a wide knowledge and understanding of everything to do with surveying. The process covers everything from how construction businesses operate, construction contracts and new technology. It taught me that if I put the work in and apply myself I can achieve these things. Coming straight from finishing my degree into applying for Chartership was a big commitment, but it worked out in the end.
I wouldn’t have been able to do it without support from Decipher, both the management and the wider team. In particular, Aqeel Haque supported me a lot. He’s an active RICS assessor so understands what is required. This meant he was able to help give me feedback on my submission documents and conduct mock interviews.
It can be quite daunting when you start, even just understanding the process. To achieve it without any support would be very difficult.
What’s next?
First and foremost I’m going to take a rest from studying! In reality, more of the same. I’m keen to keep gaining experience, learning and developing. At the moment, most of my work is on live projects and I’m really enjoying it. I think I’d like to stay doing that for the foreseeable. Perhaps when I’m older, I’ll look to progress into the dispute and expert world. Decipher having specialists in both areas keeps the door open to those opportunities when I’m ready.
If you want to know more about culture and opportunities at Decipher, visit our careers page.