I read with interest CM’s report ‘What do Graduates want?’ (Cover story, April.) You asked the wrong question. It should have been: ‘What does the Industry need?’ One thing is obvious from the text and quotes from the graduates you polled: what the industry does not need is people with their attitudes.

The industry has declined seriously since the days of day release and evening classes. In those days no one complained about the hours, making tea or working weekends. But back then, a contractor’s senior surveyor earnt over seven times the salary of a trainee. Now it is less than two and a quarter times.

The profession no longer has the benefits it had of a highly paid, interesting, respected and unique career. You weren’t ‘fast-tracked’ until your early forties or exceptionally in your late thirties. By the time you advanced you had the experience and respect to manage the position and younger members of staff.

So what does the industry need? We need a serious look at training, we need to take it away from highly paid trainers and HR professionals and give it back to those who are crying out for the successors our modern system has failed to provide. We need to channel the pay to the coalface rather than expensive schemes and systems that are largely unsuccessful. We need enthusiastic college lecturers who practice during the day what they preach on the evening classes.

Would it be worth a CM survey to find out precisely what CIOB members think the industry needs?

Source

Construction Manager

Postscript

David A Roberts