Australia's surveying skills crisis : is it marketing failure?
Hannah, John
The surveying profession in Australasia is on the cusp of an enormous skills shortage. For the last three years, the ratio of BSurv graduates to jobs available has been approximately 1:2 in New Zealand, with anecdotal evidence suggesting that it is much higher than this in Australia. Starting salaries for New Zealand surveying graduates have climbed sharply in the last three years and now sit at approximately $NZ 44,000 well above the average for graduates in other professional disciplines. Recent recruitment data provided by Australian employers suggest even higher starting salaries in Australia. Numerous employers, in both countries, report that despite ongoing advertising for staff they are unable to attract appropriately skilled employees. This paper discusses the reasons for the present skills shortage, suggesting that its root cause lies in years of strong economic growth combined with new and broader job opportunities all at a time when graduate numbers have typically been either stable or decreasing. The paper then looks at the successful New Zealand experience in marketing a career in surveying, outlining some of the primary lessons learned. These include such factors as building momentum, keeping the message simple, using good communication tools and identifying and targeting the primary audiences. Added to these factors are a range of wider marketing issues that include coordinating closely both with the surveying profession in its marketing efforts, and with any government strategic initiatives that may be taken.
Event: XXIII International FIG Congress : Shaping the change
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