Commercial Trainee Apprenticeship
Banks Homes Ltd
County Durham (DH7 8XL)
Closes in 10 days (Monday 18 May 2026)
Posted on 7 May 2026
Contents
Summary
Kickstart your career with our Banks Homes apprenticeship programme and join our growing team as a Commercial Trainee.
You will be based at our Head Office in Durham, gaining hands-on experience whilst working towards the Construction Quantity Surveyor Degree Apprenticeship to further develop your skills and knowledge.
- Wage
-
£16,224 to £25,775.88, depending on your age
National Minimum Wage
- Training course
- Construction quantity surveyor (degree) (level 6)
- Hours
-
Monday to Thursday, 8:30am to 17:30pm
Friday, 8:30am to 16:00pm
39 hours a week
- Start date
-
Tuesday 1 September 2026
- Duration
-
4 years
- Positions available
-
1
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
- Managing costs for our new Banks Homes sites
- Controlling and managing budget and valuations
- Involved in the full life cycle of the development, from assisting with the tender process and analysis through to site close out
- Support with management of closed site budgets, whilst developing a strong understanding of the housebuilding process and commercial best practices
- Support the Senior Buyer to effectively manage the delivery of materials and plant on a site-by-site basis
- Assist in the implementation of the appropriate solutions for construction projects
- Apply different types of contracts to different situations
- Assist in the selection of and negotiation with specialist contractors for construction projects
- Assist in the measurement and costing of construction works
- Assist in the preparation of financial reports, cash flow and cost forecasts for a construction project
- Assist in the collection, collation and storage of relevant data and its analysis
Where you'll work
Inkerman House St John's Road
Meadowfield
Durham
County Durham
DH7 8XL
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
UNIVERSITY OF NORTHUMBRIA AT NEWCASTLE
Training course
Construction quantity surveyor (degree) (level 6)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Be able to apply and evaluate the principles for the avoidance of conflict and dispute resolution such as adjudication and arbitration between project stakeholders
- Be able to identify and manage risks of health, safety and welfare in line with legislation, hazards and safe systems of work
- Analyse costs and benefits of sustainability initiatives on a project
- Be able to advise on the legal aspects of a project and the most suitable form of contract to be used to ensure fairness and efficiency
- Be able to advise on the most suitable construction solutions that maximise value for clients and enhance the cost effectiveness of the project within the budget constraints
- Be able to advise on the appropriateness of various procurement routes and manage and report on the tendering and negotiation processes to select specialist contractors
- Advise on appropriate methods of measurement of completed works and issue documentation required for payment to specialist contractors and income from client
- Advise construction team and the client on strategies to control predicted expenditure in line with the budget
- Carry out risk assessments and implement strategies to mitigate risk
- Monitor, report and advise construction team on project cashflows and profitability. Evaluate and advise on financial implications of decisions during the construction phase
- Assess, interpret and report on progress and assist in the control of programmes during the construction phase
Training schedule
Starting as a Commercial Trainee, you will gain hands-on experience whilst working towards the Construction Quantity Surveyor Degree Apprenticeship to further develop your skills and knowledge. In partnership with Northumbria University and throughout your apprenticeship programme, you will engage in on-the-job training, coursework and assessments, attending Northumbria University 1-3 days per semester. This will support your development to set you on the path to becoming an exceptional Quantity Surveyor.
Internally, you will work closely with the Commercial Manager, Senior Quantity Surveyor, Assistant Quantity Surveyor, Senior Buyer, Commercial Director, Site Management and other functions within Banks Homes to develop your skills. You will also work closely with our Group Learning & Development Manager to support you through the apprenticeship programme.
You will work under the guidance of your course tutor to support your development and progress in conjunction with your line manager and our group Learning & Development Manager. Regular communication with the course tutor will be in place to ensure alignment between on-the-job training and academic requirements. You will be expected to attend scheduled reviews and provide updates on your learning, performance, and coursework at regular intervals throughout your apprenticeship.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade C or 4 and above)
- Maths (grade C or 4 and above)
Other in:
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Problem solving skills
- Administrative skills
- Number skills
- Analytical skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Initiative
Other requirements
- Full UK driving licence.
- Excellent IT skills with demonstrable knowledge of Microsoft Office tools.
- A genuine interest in developing your career within our commercial function.
- Professional communication style with the ability to work within a team of varying seniority within the business.
About this employer
Banks Homes is part of the Banks Group. Established in 1976, the Banks Group is a family business with a rich history in the development sector. We operate in a range of business areas, including Banks Property, Banks Homes, Banks Mining and Banks Plant Solutions. We’re responsible for a range of developments across the north of England, Yorkshire and Scotland.
The Banks Group works closely with, values and listens to the views of communities close to our projects, our business partners and our people. This is an approach that we call Development with Care – an approach that ensures we work safely, responsibly and sustainably across our three business areas at all times. We want our developments to leave a positive long-term legacy on the environment and local communities that host our developments.
We believe in placing people and the planet at the heart of what we do, looking for ways to leave a positive impact on local communities and the environment. Our people understand, practice and share this ethos. They manage a range of projects from inception through to completion, including gaining all necessary planning permissions and consents, while ensuring local communities and the environment are cared for.
At Banks Group, we’re excited to be growing our business with the launch of Banks Homes — our dedicated housebuilding division.
With a skilled in-house team of surveyors, planners, and technical specialists in housebuilding, drainage and highways, creating our own range of homes was a natural next step.
Banks Homes was born from a desire to create sustainable, well-designed homes that support healthier, happier lives. Inspired by the needs and aspirations of our customers, we’ve developed a thoughtful blueprint for modern living— carefully considering how each space functions to support everyday wellbeing.
From the location and landscaped gardens to the high ceilings, ¾-height windows and bi-fold doors, every element has been designed to maximise space, natural light and comfort. We’ve future-proofed our homes with energy efficient features and smart technology to help reduce energy bills — while our dedicated customer service team is here to make every step of your journey
smooth and stress-free.
Wherever striking design, future-proof sustainability and desirable locations come together, you’ll find a Banks Home.
https://www.bankshomes.co.uk/careers/ (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
- Annual bonus
- Cycle2Work
- Discount voucher scheme
- Eye care vouchers
- Corporate gym membership
- Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
- Pension scheme
After this apprenticeship
Once you have completed your apprenticeship, you would move to either an Assistant Quantity Surveyor or Quantity Surveyor position.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
Banks Homes Ltd
Gayle Glass
gayle.glass@banksgroup.co.uk
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000030177.
Apply now
Closes in 10 days (Monday 18 May 2026)
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.