Labour warning
By SOMAN BABY
Published: 12th March 2008
Development projects in GCC countries are to be hit hard because of the expected shortage of five million workers over the coming five years, it was revealed.
The total value of active and planned projects in the Gulf region is estimated at $1.9 trillion (BD7,18bn), said a study presented at a forum organised by the Project Management Institute (PMI).
There is an acute shortage of skilled workers in the Gulf, said PMI Arabian Gulf Chapter vice-president Abdulmajeed Al Gassab.
Labour warning
By SOMAN BABY
Published: 12th March 2008
Development projects in GCC countries are to be hit hard because of the expected shortage of five million workers over the coming five years, it was revealed.
The total value of active and planned projects in the Gulf region is estimated at $1.9 trillion (BD7,18bn), said a study presented at a forum organised by the Project Management Institute (PMI).
There is an acute shortage of skilled workers in the Gulf, said PMI Arabian Gulf Chapter vice-president Abdulmajeed Al Gassab.
“The projects in the Gulf rely heavily on professionals and skilled workers from Asia,” he told the GDN.
“Now with the Asian economy booming, especially in India, such workforce are paid heavily back home and they are not keen on working in the Gulf.
“The golden days of cheap labour from Asia for the Gulf contractors are gone.”
The issue is being discussed at the PMI – Construction Industries International joint workshop now being held at the Gulf Hotel.
The five-day workshop will end tomorrow.
US-based PMI International chairman Philip Diab and chief executive officer Gregory Balestrero have just left Bahrain after meeting PMI officials.
“They met Works Minister Fahmi Al Jowder and praised the ministry’s initiative in setting up a central unit for project planning, control and execution over the coming 30 years,” said Mr Al Gassab.
“The challenges facing development projects, especially in attracting skilled workforce, were discussed at various meetings attended by the PMI officials.
“The study, which highlighted the expected shortage of five million skilled and unskilled workers, also revealed that Asian recruiting firms are taking professionals and highly skilled workers in the Gulf back home with more attractive packages.”
Bapco chief executive Abdulkarim Al Sayed said the Asia, Europe and the US were also facing an engineering and skilled workforce capacity crunch.
“Coupled with the still common misconception outside the region, that the Middle East is a dangerous place to work in, it is somewhat difficult to attract foreign professionals to the region,” he noted.
“The inevitable result is that employers in the region are going to have to pay inflated prices to attract the necessary resources, driving up the cost of projects and further restricting the development of indigenous talents.
“With the Asian regions, traditionally supplied the needed resources, also facing shortages, we need to give a more serious long-term look at depending on our own indigenous talents.”
Mr Al Sayed said that Bapco felt the pinch in many ways.
“We have lost more than 30 Western employees through resignation since January 2006,” he revealed.
“From a situation where the Eastern employee turnover rate was traditionally very low, Bapco has also lost more than 30 such employees through resignation since January 2006, mostly engaged in critical jobs.”
India which was Bapco’s most effective source of such recruits for professional jobs, is now in similar need for engineers and skilled manpower to meet its ambitious industry development needs, said Mr Al Sayed. soman@gdn.com.bh
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