PROFILE: My story of agony as a Construction Professional

In South Africa construction projects are influenced by the politically connected instead of the qualified and competent, a Construction Professional shares a hardhatSTORY on how this killed his passion for the industry and compromised his career prospects

I am a Construction Professional with 14 yrs experience under my belt, I've worked as Resident Engineer, Assistant RE, Site QS, Site Manager and Facilitator dealing with both Civil and Building sectors. I hold a National Diploma in Building Engineering and I also did Facilitation, Assessor and Moderator courses. I am planning to further my studies which I  couldn't finish because of contract based employment and salaries that were not paid as promised . I'm seeing myself as a PrQS one day owning my consulting or construction company and employing those who intend to walk in the same path as a Hardhat Professional. 

I am concerned about the quality and integrity of the South African construction projects that are being awarded to people who do not have adequate knowledge or experience in the industry, but who have political ties or affiliations. This affects the work that I love and the infrastructure that our society depends on. 

I often find myself working for these politically connected individuals because I have limited options and I have to support my family. I am expected to follow their instructions, even if they contradict the blueprint or compromise the safety standards. I also have to lie about the progress or the problems that arise, in order to protect the reputation of the company. If I do not comply, I risk losing my job.

I also feel frustrated when I see job advertisements that use my credentials or qualifications as part of their tender proposal, but do not involve me in the actual project. I have experienced a situation where a client contacted me and complained about a poor performance in a project that I had no knowledge of, but my name was on their file. I know that not all companies do this, but it is very hard to find a job where I can work with qualified and competent people who respect my skills and expertise. Sometimes, I have to report to people who have no qualifications or experience in the industry, but who are related to the CEO or someone else in power. Sometimes, I have to do their work for them, while they are absent or busy with other things. However, I cannot challenge or question their authority, because it would break the chain of communication and jeopardize my position.

Salaries are sometimes not paid on time and when they do it is not the full payment. When an enquiry is made you get the response that makes it feel like you must be grateful for the little that has been received.  

I am writing this article out of frustration and I also want to bring this issue to the fore because it has sucked my passion for this industry out of me as it has compromised my career prospects and ability to earn a living. I have written this article anonymously because I am still employed by the politically connected and I fear victimization.

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