NIQS Holds Job Fair for Quantity Surveying Graduates

Bennett Oghifo

The Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) has held a job fair for unemployed graduates in the profession.

The Fair which was held in Abuja brought together job seekers, Quantity Surveying firms, multi-disciplinary consulting firms, employees seeking to change job positions, building and engineering construction companies, human resource consulting companies, mortgage banks, real estate developers, construction materials manufacturers and dealers/merchants.

Speaking at the Fair with the theme, “Evolving Roles for the Quantity Surveyor in a Dynamic World: Issues, Prospects, Competencies and Capacities,” the President of the Institute, QS Olayemi Shonubi said the Job Fair was designed to match-make employers and job seekers, thereby providing the opportunity for instant recruitment.

Shonubi explained that the Institute was committed to providing the atmosphere for young Quantity Surveyors to become gainfully employed, as well as employees seeking to change job positions; as part of efforts to contribute the Institute’s quota to the development of the economy.

According to him, the nation currently faced a huge challenge of providing enough good jobs for the entrants into the profession, and given the country’s rapidly growing population, the Institute felt challenged to drive the process of job creation and building career opportunities.

In his remarks at the event, the Special Guest of Honour and former Governor of Bauchi State, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, SAN commended the NIQS for providing job seekers the opportunity of instant recruitment which reduces the time and effort spent by employers and employees to complete recruitment processes.

Abubakar who traced the evolution of Quantity Surveying to construction of the pyramids and temples of ancient Egypt at a time that the quantity surveyor was called the “measurer of royal works,” said as a profession that is responsible for the management of all costs associated with building and civil engineering projects, Quantity Surveying plays an important role in the economy of every nation, even as he encouraged practitioners to embrace the use of technology so as to survive in the ever changing world.

“Today, the quantity surveyor is known by many other names such as ‘construction cost consultant’, ‘building economist’, ‘construction accountant’ and ‘contractual and procurement specialist’. But however you choose to be addressed, the fact remains that as a profession that is responsible for the management of all costs associated with building and civil engineering projects, Quantity Surveying plays an important role in the economy of every nation,” Abubakar said.

He advised practitioners to embrace the use of softwares and other technologies which have proved to reduce the cost of services, reduce labour costs and save time.

The Keynote presenter, QS Dr. Ifeanyi Obieje tasked practitioners on evolving issues in the profession which include sustainability, value engineering, e-procurement, BIM and climate change.

Some of the firms that attended the are Berger Pains Nigeria, Rural Homes Limited, CDD Infrastructure Limited, Silk Plaster Nigeria, Joseph Afe & Partners, Cosperts Associates and Lubell Nigeria Limited. Others are Ward & Partners Limited, UYK Nigeria Limited, H & M Nigeria Limited, Onyx Construction Limited, Gimba & Partners and Tri-Active Builders Limited.