Location
London, Harrow, Bedford, Birmingham, Hindley, Leatherhead, Luton, Manchester, South Coast (Southampton, Portsmouth, Bournemouth) or Warrington. On site; initial placement, which may change during the programme.

Hours
Full time (exact hours not stated in the advert)

Salary
Competitive salary, plus car allowance

About the Role
Wates is recruiting a Commercial Graduate Management Trainee to join its 2026 trainee programme on construction projects across the UK. Working alongside experienced commercial professionals, you’ll learn how the commercial function keeps projects on track financially, balancing cost, value and risk while meeting client expectations. You’ll help prepare and analyse commercial reports, contracts and financial documents, monitor project costs against budget, and support subcontractor accounts, including applications, valuations and payments. You’ll also learn how to identify and manage commercial risks and opportunities, help forecast costs, income and cash flow, and understand how changes to scope, programme or design affect a project’s outcome. The programme includes a technical manual, behavioural workshops and short placements. Graduates without a construction-related degree will also be enrolled on a relevant Level 4 apprenticeship.

Experience
No previous experience is required. This is an entry-level graduate programme for people starting a career in the built environment.

About you
You’ll be passionate about building a career in construction, curious, and committed to your own development. You build good working relationships with colleagues, customers, subcontractors and supply chain partners, take ownership of your work, and act with integrity. You’ll bring a positive, solution-focused attitude, strong organisation, and the ability to adapt and prioritise. You must be willing to travel to different project sites across the region or nationally as needed.

Qualifications
By September 2027, you must have a bachelor’s degree with a predicted or achieved 2:2 or above. Requirements vary by location:
London: relevant degree required; full UK driving licence not required.
Harrow: relevant degree not required; full UK driving licence not required.
Bedford and South Coast: relevant degree required; full UK driving licence required.
Birmingham, Leatherhead, Luton, Manchester, Hindley and Warrington: relevant degree not required; full UK driving licence required.
A Basic DBS check is required.

Benefits
Private medical insurance, pension scheme, life assurance, flexible benefits, car allowance, car salary sacrifice scheme, health and wellness programme, enhanced family leave, 26 days’ holiday plus bank holidays, and your birthday off. You’ll also get mentoring, structured training and support towards professional qualifications and chartership.

Good to know
Applications may close early if there’s high demand, and only one application per recruitment year is accepted. Wates asks candidates to complete their application without AI tools. Reasonable adjustments are available on request via [email protected].