RICS launches new courses in valuation & surveying

RICS India has launched new courses in the field of valuation and quantity surveying. These specially created programmes are designed to enhance and up-skill the technical expertise of practioners and bring them at par with international counterparts. The new batches for the foundation and advanced courses which commence on August 23, 2010, have been tailored for existing working professionals as well as aspirants looking at real estate and construction as a 'career of choice'. In addition to these courses, RICS will launch further courses in a phased manner across relevant practice areas, based on market need.
Despite the enormous size and the potential of the real estate and construction sectors, given the level of infrastructure development planned, growing urbanisation and housing requirements that exist in the country, the Indian education system does not offer any formal real estate degree courses.
With the exception of Civil Engineers, Architects and Town Planners, educational institutions and Business Schools do not cater to curriculum designed specifically for disciplines related to the built environment.
According to some estimates, although the industry employs over 33 million people, of which nearly 70% are engaged in infrastructure and the remaining 30% in real estate, the incremental workforce requirement is pegged at four million a year over the next few years in order to sustain economic growth and meet the physical infrastructural targets as mentioned in the Eleventh Five Year Plan.
There are several issues related to sourcing skilled manpower, as illustrated by the fact that over 83% of the workforce comprises of unskilled workers with engineers accounting for a mere 3% and skilled workers 10%.
More information on the courses at www.rics.org/indiaprofessionaleducation