A leading recruitment consultancy has warned that the Middle Eastern construction sector is facing a shortage of skilled personnel capable of managing the built environment effectively.
With construction spend in the region currently estimated to be in excess of US$900 billion and increasing at the phenomenal rate of US$4 billion per week, trillions of dollars will need to be spent on managing the new properties springing up across the Middle East.
But according to research carried out by Hill McGlynn, a global recruitment company specialising in property and construction, there is a huge shortfall in the number of skilled facilities management (FM) practitioners with the expertise to manage these new buildings effectively.
Facilities management is the integrated management of all types of built environments from commercial towers to oil refineries and hospitals. FM practitioners oversee the management of a building from its inception, providing a range of services including property strategy, building maintenance and management of space, energy and communications infrastructure.
Hill McGlynn has recently opened its first Middle East office in Dubai and the firm plans to make FM recruitment a priority. According to Julie Faris, Country Manager at Hill McGlynn, FM is crucial to the growth of the region’s construction and property industries, despite the fact that many companies are still failing to recognise it as a specialised discipline.
The firm will be running a CV clinic at the forthcoming FM EXPO, a new trade show which will highlight the Middle East’s position as the world’s fastest growing facilities management market.
“There is currently confusion surrounding the qualifications and skills needed to work within facilities management, a discipline encompassing the comprehensive management of buildings from the planning stages onwards,” says Faris.
“We will be using the FM EXPO as a platform to give advice on training and qualifications to candidates wanting to develop a career in FM. There is lots of conflicting information out there about what technical qualifications are needed and who the main accrediting bodies in FM are. We will be addressing this by offering impartial guidance tailored to match the aspirations of the individual.”
Hill McGlynn will also be targeting regional developers at the trade show with a range of information on recruiting FM professionals. “Many employers simply look for technical qualifications, but where FM is such a broad discipline it is important to really delve into a candidate’s CV looking for experience in project management and also customer service since FM involves a lot of client facing work,” said Faris.
FM EXPO, organised by Streamline Marketing Group and dmg world media, takes place at Dubai World Trade Centre from June 4 – 6 and is the first exhibition of its kind in the region.
Nick Webb, director of organiser Streamline Marketing Group, said: “This new event will act as a business forum bringing together FM practitioners from across the Middle East and worldwide and key decision makers responsible for major projects, including architects and property developers.
“The FM EXPO will act as an information hub, educating individuals within the construction sector on the role FM has to play in maintaining these new buildings.”
FM EXPO will run alongside the Office Exhibition, Hotel Show and the InRetail exhibition, all of which have clear links to facilities management.
