Publication Date: 29-01-2025 09:00
Graduate builds new career and new life in UK with Bellway
Leon Chu is building a new life and a new career with Bellway after leaving Hong Kong for the UK.
The 32-year-old is working towards his ambition of becoming a chartered quantity surveyor with the housebuilder, having emigrated to England with his wife Kay in 2022.
After graduating with a first-class honours degree in quantity surveying from the University of Reading, he joined Bellway’s Thames Valley division as a graduate quantity surveyor last September.
Leon, who lives in Reading, was one of 22 graduates hired by the company through its 2024 Graduate Programme.
“I was an artistic director and event producer for 10 years in Hong Kong but the entertainment industry was badly hit by the Covid pandemic and I realised I wanted a more stable career with better prospects,” said Leon. “I had a chat with my father who was in the construction industry and I decided to study quantity surveying.
“I studied for a higher diploma in surveying for two years at the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education then was awarded the Alistair Harvey Foundation Scholarship to read for a degree at the University of Reading. My father had identified Bellway as a very good company and I applied for a position as a graduate quantity surveyor. I feel very fortunate to have this opportunity with such a prestigious company and aim to make the most of it.”
Leon will be based at Bellway Thames Valley’s divisional headquarters in Reading throughout his two-year training programme.
“One aspect of the training programme which appeals to me is the chance to spend time with other disciplines, such as sales and construction, to learning how their role fits in with the bigger picture at Bellway,” said Leon. “As part of my schedule, I have already attended a workshop for personal training and leadership training, which helped me learn more about my personality and understand what my strengths are.
“I am based at the divisional office in Reading but I am currently spending one day a week at the Carter’s Court development in the town to learn all about how a site is actually run and the specifics of how different properties are put together. This experience will prove invaluable in my role in costing projects and making sure that budgets are adhered to and the most competitive tenders are secured.
“I have come to the UK to make a better life for myself and my wife and I am learning something new every day at work. My ambition is to work hard and to become a chartered quantity surveyor with Bellway and to enjoy my new life in England.”
Tom Cole, Commercial Director at Bellway Homes said: “Leon is exactly the type of person we want to attract to Bellway through our graduate programme. His enthusiasm and dedication are matched by his intelligence and talent and we can see a bright future ahead for him at our company.
“The construction business is a diverse, dynamic and forward-thinking industry where there are a number of exciting career paths open in a variety of different disciplines such as sales, construction and land.”
For more information about careers with Bellway, visit https://www.bellwaycareers.co.uk/.
