RICS Oceania has launched a pilot scheme offering bursaries and work placements to second year students studying on RICS accredited construction programmes in NSW, Australia.  The scheme is designed to attract construction students into the Quantity Surveying profession.

Ten students were awarded $AU3, 000 bursaries each and a four week placement with a RICS QS employer, following a competitive application process. 

Firms supporting the scheme are Davis Langdon, Rider Levett Bucknall, Bovis Lend Lease, Currie & Brown, WT Partnership, Laing O'Rourke, Page Kirkland Group, Slattery and Turner Townsend.

Why is the scheme needed?

The scheme is the result of a continuing trend in Australia of fewer and fewer Quantity Surveying/construction graduates entering the QS profession. There are 10 QS/Construction undergraduate programmes currently running in Australia and although most of these programmes attract healthy intakes – the number leaving and entering Quantity Surveying roles, with contractors or consultancies, is probably less than 10% of those graduating. The trend can be attributed to a number of factors:

• Firstly, the move towards general construction degrees (which include QS subjects) as oppose to specific ‘Bachelor of Quantity Surveying’ degrees. This has been a gradual process over the last 10 years and has been driven largely by student demand. Generation ‘Y’ seems less attracted to - joining a traditional profession; to taking vocational subjects which may appear limiting and to choosing programmes with a somewhat old fashioned name - ‘quantity surveying’. Financial pressures on universities have meant the luxury of separate construction and QS programmes could now longer be justified;
  
• Secondly – the growth in the construction sector of the economy, driven by the Australian resources boom has meant a critical shortage of all construction graduates. Most undergraduates have therefore secured employment before they have finished university and the vast majority with big spending construction contractors and developers. (It is difficult for the consultancy sector to compete.)

• Thirdly, in the knowledge of the above, undergraduates prefer now to seek what they perceive as more attractive roles in construction and project management. Notions of qualifying as a professional quantity surveyor are not high on their agenda.

• Fourth, a lack of understanding of the role of QSs and the part they play, often in senior well paid, dynamic roles – leading construction projects and teams. This means that students are less likely to take the QS stream or subjects in Construction programmes and to seek QS roles when looking for work.
  

With these factors in mind RICS Oceania established an RICS QS Employer & University Group to look at the problem. The aim was simple - to encourage more construction students to study & work in Quantity Surveying.

The decision to target students as they neared the end of their first year of study was a recognition by the Group that attracting students into the construction sector was not a problem (most programmes were full) it was attracting these students once on the programme into Quantity Surveying that should be the focus. Targeting students early in their studies was important as companies snapped up most students in their second year.

The Bursary Proposal

The proposal was to offer a AU$3,000 cash bursary and four week work placement to students on the two RICS accredited degrees in NSW (The Bachelor of Construction at the University of Technology Sydney and the Bachelor of Construction Management and Property at the University of New South Wales. (The proposal was based loosely on the highly successful collaborative model operated at Loughborough University in the UK.)

RICS Oceania agreed to fund AU$1,000 per student and each RICS employer $AU2,0000 per student.

Each firm paired with a student undertook to provide the students with a minimum period of work experience (4 weeks). The first AU$1,000 was provided to the student at the start of the 4 week period in January, the second AU$2,000 upon satisfactory completion of the 4 weeks. In addition firms also agreed to support students in undertaking their studies, assignments, research and having access to the firm’s office facilities. Each firm allocated a ‘buddy’ to the student as a first point of contact.

The aim was to ensure that students were exposed to the breadth of the role that QSs undertake and that this might encourage them either to seek employment with the company involved or at least to consider entering the QS profession. Firms had the opportunity to build a relationship with the student and ultimately offer employment. There was no contract or obligation for students to take employment with a particular firm. In this respect the firms participating recognised that the process was not so much a recruitment process for their own company but for the profession as a whole.

The Application process and operation of the Scheme

Students applied at the end of their first year and submitted a statement of why they should be awarded a bursary and a QS placement and also submitted their first year` grades. The RICS QS Employer Group then selected the winning applicants. Students were allocated to the firms on a random basis. (Conducted by RICS.)

A Protocol setting out the obligations for the scheme on both employers and students was agreed:

Obligations on the Employer:

To provide 4 weeks (20 days) of meaningful and varied experience in the workplace - related to the Quantity Surveying profession.

To plan and structure the 4 weeks placement as far as possible - this may include undertaking or reviewing basic QS tasks, work shadowing, site visits, observing meetings, accompanying employees to client meetings etc

To allocate a placement ‘Buddy’ who will be the students’ point of contact and who will guide and advise the student during (and after) their placement.

To be responsible for health and safety of the student in the workplace and on site.

To provide an induction to the student to the firm and its employees.

Obligations on the Placement Student:

• To be punctual, well presented and respectful.
• To abide by the company’s policies and procedures.
• To be positive and committed to getting the most out of the placement.
• To attend the full 20 days of placement. (Sickness or absence may affect the employers willingness to complete the bursary payment.)
• To provide feedback to RICS (and employers) at the end of the placement

The benefits of the scheme

Students, the universities, employers and the RICS all benefited from the scheme.

Benefits to Students: AU$3,000 cash, a four week work placement and employer support and mentoring.

Benefits to employers: Ten students studying quantity surveying every year, who might otherwise not. A direct link between candidates and firms.

Benefits to the university: A closer relationship with employers. Assistance from employers with students’ studies. Financial benefit to students.

Benefits to RICS: Students register on to the RICS APC.

The successful applicants are listed below (a number of whom have now been taken on by their placement employers):

• Andrew El-Bayeh
• Jon Crighton
• Joseph Moagaesi
• Kelvin Perrie
• Michael Acosta
• Michael Nguyen
• Rashid Elesh
• Ray Wu
• Tarik Er
• Thomas Vano

RICS aims to run the scheme again in NSW for 2008 first year students and is looking to broaden the scheme nationally.

For more information contact Nick Hudson, RICS Oceania

t: +61 2 9216 2333 e: nhudson@rics.org.au