6.30 AM
I wake up at 6.30 am every morning, freshen up and begin to get ready for work. I make my lunch if I haven’t done so the night before, eat some breakfast, and once I am ready I will leave home and begin the drive to work.
7.45 AM
Usually, around 7.45 am I will arrive at work, make myself a hot chocolate and review my calendar for the day.
8.00 AM
The first thing on my daily to-do list is to send out a pending invoice report to the project team. I do this so that the team knows what invoices are sitting on the job and what invoices will come their way for approval. After this, I begin to plan my day by prioritising the most important tasks. I will then review the project photography folder in ProcoreTM to see the site progress before processing some invoices.
9.30 AM
I sit in on a quick team meeting with the site foreman, project manager and senior project manager/construction manager to discuss what is happening out on site, any issues or concerns and what our priorities are for the day, as well as any additional tasks that are required. After the morning team huddle, I will feed the fish and clean their tank, which is a feature in our kitchen area.
10.00 AM
At 10.00 am, I will work through the procurement of trades. This involves writing a scope of work, sending out requests for quotes and entering pricing into the procurement schedule. This will usually take a few hours. I review the upcoming trades to make sure I have received multiple scopes to fit the works and align with our budget. Once I have sent through the procurement trade comparison and it has been approved by the Senior Project Manager/Construction Manager I am then able to prepare their contract.
12.00 PM
Lunch time! This will normally be leftovers from the night before or sometimes I will treat myself to take away. Around the North lunch table, it is tradition to participate in the daily quiz in the paper and has a laugh. If I am based on site that day I will have a walk around the site and then join the team in the lunch sheds.
12.30 PM
After lunch, I will continue with the procurement of trades. It is important to have the trades let before their due date to ensure there will be no delays on site. The procurement of trades is a big part of my role as a Building Cadet.
3.00 PM
At this time of the day, I will work on any additional tasks and finalise things from either the day before or earlier that day.
4.00 PM
By 4.00 pm, my focus will be on processing any invoices that I didn’t get to in the morning and send on for approval. Once I have finished processing the invoices, I then begin to tie up any loose ends that I have from today’s work. These two tasks will usually see me out to the end of the day.
5.30 PM
I finish up my day and say goodbye to my fellow Northies. It usually will take me between 30-45 min to head home, depending on traffic. Whilst I am in the car I will listen to music and think about what I need to do when I get home.
6.00 PM
By this time, I will join my family at home and usually, dinner will be cooked. Once we eat dinner I clean up and then start to watch some good old reality tv with my family, while discussing our days and doing some chores around the house. I will also have a look at any university tasks that need completing.
9.30 PM
By 9.30 pm I am pretty tired so I will begin to get ready for bed, (if I am not already asleep! I usually fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow, getting plenty of rest for another day.)
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