Welcome to the first issue of QS News, the new essential weekly magazine for QSs and project managers. It comes at a time when problems in high profile projects are making these two roles even more crucial to the construction sector. Witness the key job given to Capita Symonds in resolving the Bath Spa crisis and the change in practice instigated by Davis Langdon in the wake of the Scottish parliament building fiasco.

This rise in importance has been one of the factors behind the increasing demand for good people – another is the healthy workloads across both the public and private sectors which drove tender prices up by nearly 15% in 2004. The QS salary guide carried out by the UK’s biggest recruitment consultant in the sector, Hays, for our sister magazine, Building, shows rises across all facets of the professions, with particular jumps for those in their late 30s, and in regions such as the SouthWest.

Cause for (tempered) optimism

While there is much to be optimistic about as far as the future of the professions is concerned, there are undoubtedly significant challenges ahead. Booming salaries are all very well, but these are partly down to a skills shortage, which is increasing the pressure on existing staff. And the use of digital technology, which could offer massive time and money savings for jobs such as tendering, has yet to filter through to the QS in any meaningful way (see pages 8–9). Perhaps with the growing use of the BlackBerry and other PDAs, (see our IT section, pages 10–11), momentum will build.

The aim of QS News is to address such key issues, both specific to the professions and from a broader industry perspective. We will stress the good work and the importance of your professions, but also shout when things go wrong. We are obviously dependent on you to voice your feelings and frustrations, so please get in touch. Fed up with ego-fuelled architects ignoring your cost plan? Or contractors ignoring the wishes of clients? Send your thoughts to qsnews@cmpinformation.com.

Source

QS News