Breakthrough for the QS Profession
HONG KONG, Aug. 30 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- The Chartered Quantity
Surveying (QS) profession is now on the UK National Shortage Occupation
List following a concentrated campaign by RICS. The UK Home Office's Border
and Immigration Agency confirmed the decision to the property profession,
which shows the Government is taking seriously the issue of skills
shortages in the construction industry.
According to Mr. Michael Sullivan, RICS spokesperson, "There is
widespread recognition of a chronic shortage of Quantity Surveyors in UK.
Firms have been struggling to recruit experienced UK based and overseas QSs
for some time. Some large firms have had up to 60 vacancies each.
Hopefully, with easier access to the pool of foreign, professionally
qualified QSs, concerns about meeting the anticipated increase in
construction work in the UK will shrink.
RICS research revealed there were around 6,500 QS vacancies across the
UK in January 2007. 49% of these were unfilled for more than six months and
35% for more than 12 months.
Mr. David K W TSE, Chairman of RICS (HK), said, "Demand for QS is
genuinely high in nearly all developing or developed countries as they are
Chartered Surveyors with special expertise in cost management, contract
management and project management relating to both building and civil
engineering contracts and thus they are required throughout the development
process of both building and infra-structural projects. It is quite a
common trend for locally trained and qualified QSs to take overseas
assignments and career opportunities and I am sure all QSs in Hong Kong
will be delighted to hear about this news."
It takes an average of 6.2 years to become a Chartered Quantity
Surveyor. Following the success of the campaign, RICS plans to look at the
extent of shortages of skilled staff in areas such as project management
and building surveying.
Border and Immigration Agency announcement:
http://www.workingintheuk.gov.uk/working_in_the_uk/en/homepage/news/ann
ounceme
nts/Chartered%20quantity%20surveyor.html
(Note: If the URL above wraps to a second line, paste both lines into
the browser.)
Media enquiry, please contact:
RICS Asia Pacific Public Relations Representative
Ms Belinda Chan / Ms Katherine Chow
Tel: +852-2372-0090
Fax: +852-2372-0490
Mobile: +852-9379-3045 / +852-9256-3223
Email: belinda@creativegp.com / kat@creativegp.com
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