Plans in place to address talent, pay issues for architects, engineers
A new task force will bring together institutes of higher learning, government agencies, trade associations and young professionals in the built environment sector
PLANS are underway to draw talent into the built environment sector, and ensure remuneration is competitive for architects and engineers, to address concerns raised by industry players.
This will be crucial as the sector embarks on long-term infrastructure and mega building projects such as Long Island, Greater Southern Waterfront, Changi Terminal 5 and Tuas Megaport.
On Wednesday (Sep 4), Minister for National Development Desmond Lee announced the formation of a new task force that will bring together institutes of higher learning, government agencies, trade associations and young professionals in the built environment sector.
The task force will focus on four areas: uplifting the branding and awareness of the sector, transforming the workplaces of the future, evolving existing built environment consultancy business models, and propagating sustainable industry practices.
Lee was speaking at the opening ceremony of the International Built Environment Week. Industry players have raised concerns over whether enough young Singaporeans are attracted to pursue careers in architecture and engineering.
Another question raised was whether remuneration offered is competitive and whether workplace practices have kept pace with competing sectors, Lee said.
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“We share the same concerns and have been working hard to address some of the issues,” the minister added.
In this vein, the government has taken the lead in advancing healthier procurement practices in the public sector, Lee said.
Review of the SCA
Giving an update on the review of the Standard Consultancy Agreement (SCA), which is the standard contract used for consultancy services for public-sector projects, Lee said the enhancements are ready for implementation and will be rolled out for projects with tenders called from Nov 1. “We have been looking at updating the fee adjustment provisions for additional services to provide our consultants with fair and timely remuneration, to have more regular payment milestones and updated rates.”
The review was first announced in January with the aim of ensuring that the procurement process remains fair and progressive. The enhanced SCA will allow for a more balanced allocation of risks between government agencies and consultants, when costs arise from delays beyond the consultants’ controls. More details will be announced in an industry circular later this week.
“It will take the collective efforts of all (in the) built environment sector working together in an interdisciplinary approach to realise our vision for making our sector a lot more attractive and progressive.
“We need to improve our human resources practices, redesign our jobs and uplift the overall perception of work in the built environment sector,” Lee said.
Digitalisation road map
On Wednesday, the minister also announced the launch of the refreshed Built Environment Industry Digital Plan, a road map for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the sector to digitalise.
In line with policy and technological shifts, new digital solution categories such as Digital Contract Management and Smart Inspection and Management have been introduced.
SMEs will be able to tap the Productivity Solutions Grant to defray the adoption costs of certain technology tools in these categories.
These new categories of solutions can equip firms with tools to better manage contracts and projects, and harness data for better project delivery outcomes.
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