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    8 August 2019
    Designers are also in shortage

    Elona Balatbieva

    Elona Balatbieva, Head of Human Resources at Metropolis, commented on the situation on the labor market in design and construction industry for Kommersant in the article "Technologies are making adjustments". The design and construction industry in the Russian personnel market is considered difficult. It has its own peculiarities and issues. The profession of a design engineer until some time was low-paid, not entirely prestigious and was perceived as a Soviet carryover.

    But now everything is changing, the prospects for design work are becoming wider, brighter, more interesting and more technologically advanced. Architects and designers receive decent wages and are as valuable as gold. Design companies and developers are convinced of the need for their presence in their teams, followed by management and general contracting organizations. In 2019, we can safely confirm the lack of experienced specialists and staff shortages, which force employers to adapt to new market conditions, expand the geography of personnel search, go on a “head hunt” and compete with other employers.


    Most of the specialists are employed and work in one place for at least 12-18 months, but this does not prevent them from periodically responding to requests from HR specialists, being interested in projects, wages and social packages. Also, employers have to retain current employees by making counteroffers. During 2019, about 8,000 vacancies in the design-architecture segment were opened monthly in the Russian market. At the same time, most employers tend to consider candidates with work experience from 3 to 6 years, which is about 49% of all open vacancies, but 35% of vacancies are designed for young professionals or people with experience from 1 to 3 years.


    The demand for specialists in the design of structural and engineering solutions on the territory of the Russian Federation is not uniform. The maximum demand is in Moscow, it accounts for 29% of the vacancies, St. Petersburg - 10%, the Republic of Tatarstan - 7%, Sverdlovsk and Nizhny Novgorod regions account for 4% each. The minimum demand is 0.2% in the Republic of Adygea.


    In 67% of vacancies, wages are indicated. So in Moscow, offers start from 55,000 rubles, in St. Petersburg - from 40,000 rubles, in Kazan - from 30,000 rubles. The average level of wages in cities with a population of over one million is in the range from 45,000 to 70,000 rubles.


    Employers are in the highest demand for competencies in project management, designing engineering solutions for water supply and sewerage, as well as heating, ventilation and air conditioning.


    The change from traditional 2D design, which is less and less satisfying to customers, to 3D modeling has also set new requirements for the selection of industry specialists. Practical skills in Revit have become an integral part of many vacancies, and the community of BIM design professionals in Russia continues to grow, forcing the lagging behind to develop.


    So, over the past few years, new vacancies have begun to appear, for example, a BIM manager, a BIM coordinator, an engineer in the BIM technology development department, a design engineer working in Autodesk Revit, and others. And the number of such vacancies is growing every year.


    The maximum demand for specialists with BIM modeling skills falls on Moscow and accounts for 55% of the total number of vacancies, St. Petersburg accounts for 11%.


    It's no secret that there is a gap between academic education and business needs. For example, this year our company, together with NRU MGSU, held a case championship "BIM in the Big City" to identify talented students. The winners and medallists of the competition received an offer to undergo an internship and practice at the Metropolis company. We are ready to make a job offer to the best students.


    Since Metropolis offices are open in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kazan, we are going to continue this practice and offer cooperation not only to Moscow universities, but also to specialized educational institutions in St. Petersburg and Kazan.


    Companies are ready to invest not only in their services and products, but also in the development of personnel, so that employees not only listen and hear the management, but also take the initiative to implement ideas and acquired skills.


    Read the full material on Kommersant website.