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Construction
Project Engineers in the UAE are hard to find. David Hendrie, Senior Project Manager of Clifton Coney Group
(ME) Ltd says, "Professional project management has become an industry
staple as developers are keen to minimise their risk and complete their
projects on time and on budget. Construction activities in the UAE are
progressing at a brisk pace, but there is also a job shortage of both skilled
labour and adept management professionals. Tackling the escalating prices of
raw materials is yet another challenge we face here."
Major projects in the UAE include the Nasa Multiplex, Dubai
Marina complex, the Burj Dubai, 50- storey The Tower, Taj Palace Hotel and Business Bay.
These projects take immense pride in delivering on time and
within budget. The race is on for UAE recruiters
to find the right men and women for the job.
The construction boom in the UAE has brought with it, increased
competition. As with any competitive
environment, companies in the UAE must remain innovative and find ways to build
faster and at a cost effective rate.
Dubai Project management
There is always a risk involved with any major project. Project managers
charged with the job of managing these projects identify the risk involved and implement
measures that provide client confidence in the projects outcome.
To identify risk, you need to understand risk and this is why the UAE needs to recruit
the best project managers in the world to complete its projects quickly and
effectively.
Recruiters know the ideal project manager for a high risk project environment
will certainly boast good technical skills and a solid experience base. He or
she will also possess exceptional negotiation skills, and some formal training
in a wide range of business communication.
The
shortage of Project Managers in Dubai
Alan Condron, Partner at Concur consultants, Dubai’s specialist construction and
engineering recruiters explain the difficulty finding good project managers for
the region:
“At the moment it is difficult to find a good project manager. We’re looking for a range of people from a
range of companies but in many cases these people originate from the UK or Ireland. Typically, when you find a Project Manager
already in the UAE, they are already on a good package. In addition, when you find someone with good
experience, they often don’t have Middle East
experience which is a problem.”
Alan also expresses concern with the growing
housing costs and rent in the UAE affecting the countries attractiveness. He states however, the demand can be eased by
companies offering more attractive packages.
Even though they will earn more than back home but they will still need
a lot more to get out here.
The projects will also attract them. The projects are bigger in the Middle East than in most places meaning Project Managers
can get more experience. This is a huge
incentive for people wishing to get good experience for a few years and return
to their own country with unrivalled experience and consequently huge earning
potential.
Alan continues to explain that sometimes a Project
Manager might have to take a step back due to the scale of the project – but
they will get more money. “Progression
depends on their skill and experience but is not necessarily dependent on the
years of experience they have had. For
the majority of jobs at Concur, applicants should have an engineering
background or construction background, perhaps someone has worked their way up.”
Demand is expected to increase which is only good
news for those seeking Project Management jobs.
In addition to Dubai, Abu
Dhabi and other Middle East
countries also offer attractive job opportunities.
Visa bans and NOC’s,
make some new recruits nervous. This is
where a recruit must get a “no objection” from their employer if they choose
leave a job. Without this “no objection”,
a recruit wishing to leave a company, gets a 6 month visa ban, preventing them
from working elsewhere in the UAE. As
glum as this many sound, it has its advantages: Project Managers are needed in
other Middle East countries as well and some
choose to venture out and gain more varied experience. The visa ban also cannot be imposed within
the first 3 months. During this time,
the recruit will most probably know whether or not he or she wishes to stay
with the company.
www.dubaiengineeringjobs.com
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