Jordan Connachie

Two Brooke Weston students have already got their career paths mapped out after landing lucrative jobs which start just after they finish their A-levels.

Year 13 students, Jordan Connachie and Richard Faller will both join high profile local firms as trainee quantity surveyors. As well as working they will also study on day release, which will lead to a degree and eventual membership of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.

Northampton firm, Goodrich had contacted schools and colleges throughout the region to advertise the job among potential applicants, but just four applied, three from Brooke Weston and one from another school. All the candidates from Brooke Weston were short-listed for second interviews and Jordan finally landed the position.

Richard Faller

Richard was so impressed with the quantity surveyor's role that he was determined to find a similar job. He sent out another 36 letters to local firms offering his services. Kettering architects, Gotch Saunders & Surridge (who built Brooke Weston's Newman Library) were planning to place a job advertisement but instead interviewed Richard and gave him the position.

Richard (17) said: 'It was just perfect timing. Since then I've had five other companies get in touch with me, though I'm really happy I've signed up for GSS.'

The basic role of a quantity surveyor is to keep a tight control on the financial aspects of a build. They order materials, work out how much the construction is going to cost and appoint contractors to carry out the work. Jordan's first project will be working on a £36m warehouse construction project and Richard will spend his three month probationary period 'shadowing' colleagues before going out on site visits.

Both students are applying to study at Nottingham Trent University where, after five years, they should be awarded a degree in quantity surveying and construction commercial management. Jordan is employed on a seven year contract while Richard has signed up for a six-year term.

Careers adviser, Andrew Primmett has taken a keen interest in the students' progress after initially publicising the Goodrich job to sixth formers. He said: 'Jordan and Richard's success at getting these jobs show that there are other routes to further education than simply doing a full time course at university. They were both very committed, preparing extensively for the interview and finding out about the companies and vacancies before they went for interview. This careful preparation is crucial when applying for jobs.'