As far as construction hiring is concerned, Hong Kong's centre of gravity seems to have shifted to Kowloon, with a slew of projects pending, including the Kai Tak developments, the cruise terminal, a new sports stadium, assorted public housing schemes, as well as the arts hub associated with the West Kowloon Cultural District.
Amid this construction bedlam, contractors and developers have had problems getting the right talent for the right roles.
According to Ben Butt, director of Facility Media - which is overseeing the Urban Infrastructure Conference to be held in March this year in Hong Kong - the picture is mixed.
'In general, there is enough of a mid-level talent pool in Hong Kong for current and pending construction projects in Kowloon,' he says. 'At the senior level, there's a lack of professionals with skills in certain areas for specific projects. There are difficulties in finding specialists such as tunnelling engineers for the MTR projects for example.
'But overall, the recruitment picture is positive and there will be an increase in demand across sectors for architects, urban planners, engineering consultants and construction professionals,' Butt adds.
Contractors are also casting their nets globally. 'Professionals with experience in museum, arts hub, auditorium and theatre projects will have to be recruited from overseas. However, they will need to be able to implement their ideas and experience in the context of Asian culture,' he says.
