Dubai’s rapidly growing real estate sector caught unprepared not only residents, but also the construction sector. According to a recent research, the emirate will face a shortage of 500,000 construction workers.
The latest Workforce Planning Survey published by DIAC (Dubai International Academic City), reveals that this will hit the city by 2015. It also found that both developers and construction companies will experience the shortage of half a million workers in the sector. Moreover, the research also shares that this shortfall will not be limited to only one division or level of the sector. Instead, it be seen across the industry and it will surpass neither the public, nor the private projects.
The reason behind this new tendency is said to be the unseen growth on Dubai’s real estate sector. The study points out that many of the companies, that participated in it, shared that there is a huge demand for various skills. One of the most sought after skill involves design engineering, especially among mid-level professionals. More than half of construction firms are desperately searching for employees who can fill this particular gap. Civil engineering, construction and building project management skills have also become rare. The demand for the latter, for example, has now reached 43%. Given that these figures are expected to increase over the next year, the challenges in the sector will continue to increase.
The report states that World Expo 2020 has also influenced this trend. It reminds that as soon as the city won the bid to host the prestigious event, rents saw a double-digit spike in a very short amount of time. Not long ago, in its Q1 2014 report, JLL estimated that rental prices in Dubai have jumped by over 20% only during the first three months of the year.
In its research, DIAC reminds that the Expo will lead to a demand for more hotel rooms, as well as for better infrastructure. Of course, all of these projects will be directly affected by the shortfall of construction workers.
Therefore, it can be said that Expo 2020 will really create new job opportunities in Dubai. However, the sector will see a hard time keeping up with the Expo-related preparations.
