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In this issue:
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The President's chair demands double vision with one eye on the national scene and the other guiding our many local initiatives. My position as AQSA representative on the CIQS Board and Chair of the CIQS Marketing Committee gives me a close-up view of the Canada-wide happenings within our profession. The big news, of course, from CIQS is the tremendous progress being made in rolling out the new CIQS brand. In short, the revitalized CIQS branding will have a profound impact on our national body, its affiliates and our profession in general. As CIQS President Roy Lewis has said, this brand will help define CIQS for the next 50 years. AQSA Past President Chris Reinert invested a substantial amount of his time in the development of the new brand strategy - and we are all reaping the considerable benefits of his efforts. As the newly appointed Marketing Director for CIQS, I personally have picked up the torch for Chris, overseeing the continuation of these endeavours. A new website, letterhead, banners, logo, publication materials and banners are all in progress. The new CIQS brand is also the foundation for changes coming to AQSA. Stay tuned for more about that as plans are finalized. CIQS is also busy dotting the i's and crossing the t's of a new reciprocity agreement with the Canadian Construction Association (CCA). The new agreement will facilitate access for eligible CIQS members to gain CCA's Gold Seal Certification using their existing credentials - joining the 7,000+ Gold Seal certified individuals. At the September Board meeting in Vancouver last month, council members were updated about the exciting news that CIQS has now fully accredited the Bachelor of Technology degree course in Construction Management: Building for the Future at the British Columbia Institution of Technology (BCIT). The CIQS accreditation means the program meets the educational requirements for a Professional Quantity Surveyor for individuals who have graduated from the BCIT Architectural and Building Engineering Technology diploma program (Economics/ Construction Operations option) and the above construction management bachelor degree program. This is pivotal news for CIQS since it is one of the first fully accredited programs in Western Canada offering pre-approved fulfillment of the educational requirements for future PQS applicants. Within our own affiliate region, our next endeavour is to achieve full accreditation within an institution located in our own locale. Our current sights are set on Winnipeg's Red River College. The College is currently working with our board, going through the required processes to gain full accreditation for their programs - which would ensure potential CIQS members residing in the Prairies and Northwest Territories affiliated region have direct access to their own fully accredited program. On the local scene, I am pleased to advise that AQSA, again this year, will be at the table of the Design & Construction Trend Analysis Committee, an initiative of Alberta Infrastructure, when it meets very soon. AQSA joins representatives from Alberta Infrastructure, the City of Calgary, the City of Edmonton and other business and industry leaders for this initiative. Last but not least, AQSA Board members are working hard on several new initiatives designed to better serve our members. Ken King is heading up the new Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Committee; expect to see announcements soon about more events and speakers of interest. Mike Swick, with able assistance from Orest Stachniak, is heading up the new Industry Relations & Advocacy Committee. As ever, if you have questions, issues or suggestions about any AQSA-related matter, I would love to hear from you. Best
Regards, Advocacy:
the act of an individual or group to plead for, defend, influence, support
or make recommendations. And AQSA's new Advocacy Committee intends to do
just that. AQSA Board member and Committee Chair Mike Swick believes the work of his new committee - formally, the Industry Relations and Advocacy Committee - adds valuable depth to AQSA and will help the organization achieve its longer-term goals. "AQSA is doing a great job attracting members and helping them get their professional qualifications," says Mike. "But I saw an opportunity to up the ante on what our organization is doing overall for our members and member firms." Enter the Advocacy Committee, which Mike sees as a natural vehicle to "expand our horizons for ourselves, our profession and our clients." He's already hard at work, recognizing that most advocacy initiatives take time to show results. "Successful advocacy uses a combination of marketing, interpersonal skills, policy development, political astuteness and effective communication," explains Mike. "It also needs patience, good timing and full Board support. I'll practise patience and take advantage of appropriate timing. And I'm working with a dedicated group of professionals on the Board - so things look good from here." Mike and a couple of other AQSA members have already taken preliminary steps on one initiative with the City of Edmonton, and hope to move it forward over the next several months. If anyone would like further information and would like to participate in the potential this committee has to offer, please feel free to contact Mike Swick or Dave Burns through the AQSA. |
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Oct. 25 - 26 Oct. 25 Oct.
27 Nov.
1 Nov.
7 Nov.
9 ASET Open House and New Member Induction Celebration - Lethbridge Nov. 14 Nov. 14-15 Dec. 1 Dec. 2 Dec. 8 Feb. 7-8 March 11 - 16, 2012 March 2012 June 6 - 12, 2012 Do you have other events you'd like to see listed? E-mail us the details. |
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AQSA member Graeme Alston, PQS (F) travelled to the "pearl of the Indian Ocean" in July to attend the 15th Pacific Association of Quantity Surveyors (PAQS) congress.
"It's always refreshing to visit old friends from other parts of the world, make new acquaintances and hear about the latest challenges and trends for our profession," said Graeme. The challenges of our 21st century world inspired the PAQS 2011 congress theme of "Cost Management in a World Emerging from Adversity." Check out the program and the keynote speakers. The congress started with the traditional PAQS golf tournament, followed by committee meetings, the PAQS Board meeting and President's dinner before offering three streams of sessions. "Most PAQS sessions themselves would benefit from having presenters relate more closely to real life instead of offering a steady diet of academic research." An island in the Indian Ocean off the southeast tip of India, Sri Lanka is about half the size of Alabama. AQSA Registrar Doug Eastwell is ready to pack his suitcase and hit the road to share all about diaries. Diaries: the backbone of our professional designation process. Yes, they are necessary. Yes, they can be intimidating to complete. And, yes, AQSA is taking action to explain the in's and out's. Doug is planning a trip to Calgary to help AQSA President Dave Burns facilitate a session that will walk diary applicants through the process of correctly completing their diaries. The second focus of the session is to interest more senior AQSA members in becoming diary reviewers. Doug will also offer a session in Edmonton, and possibly later in the fall in Winnipeg. These sessions will be offered as a brief presentation followed by a very informal seminar/workshop format. "The CIQS documents have improved considerably over the past year, and that certainly helps applicants with the process. Having said that, we all recognize that the diary process is exacting and rigorous for applicants," says Doug. "Offering a face-to-face opportunity to discuss the fine points will help." He's also confident that senior members of the Association will see the value in investing some time reviewing diaries. "Diary reviewing is not a one-way street. While the reviewer is clearly helping the applicant, there is also an opportunity to share perspectives and brush up on current fine points of the process." Keep your calendars handy for these sessions, likely offered as Chapter meetings sometime in November. Plan to attend - you'll earn CPD points! And bring your questions or concerns. Plan now for March 1 exam deadline Here's
a news flash for you - the spring 2012 exam deadline
of March 1 is going to arrive sooner than you Here's how that will go:
CIQS is firm - no exceptions to the March 1 deadline. If you have questions or would like some advice, contact AQSA Education Director Michael Bernier.
CIQS unveils new brand identity It's official. The new CIQS brand is rolling out. With the objective of giving CIQS a "clearer and more compelling presence in the marketplace," the new logo and subsequent marketing campaign was designed "to unite CIQS regional affiliate organizations from across the country -and to demonstrate the critical, value-added services CIQS members offer the construction industry," according to a recent CIQS news release.
The new identity was unveiled to affiliate members at meetings across the country throughout the month of May -and unanimously accepted at its Annual General Meeting in June. "We're at an exciting turning point in our 50-plus year history as an organization - and as a profession," explains Roy Lewis, CIQS President. "In today's economic climate, Professional Quantity Surveyors and Construction Estimator Certified professionals are more valued than ever as an integral part of the building and construction process. Not only do we play a key role in ensuring infrastructure investment is protected, our members daily identify opportunities and efficiencies that deliver benefits to the triple bottom-line." "Bringing the various regions together into one united national brand just makes sense at this point in our organization's evolution. It not only demonstrates our truly nation-wide scope, but it also enables us to streamline our communications efforts to ensure that the industry understands CIQS sets the highest standard for construction economics in Canada." The CIQS logo, marketing materials and website will all be updated to reflect the integrated lineup and new brand platform. The new identity is a 3D building rendering that forms a shield or crest-like shape to symbolize the role a quantity surveyor plays in protecting the value of built environments. "Our goal is that the new brand identity and subsequent marketing campaign will inspire a whole new generation of talent to pursue a career in quantity surveying," says Lewis "Our past logo served us well for 50 years and we look forward to what the future holds for the next 50." |
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SAIT's Construction Degree course SAIT's Construction Project Management Degree Program The
first Bachelor of Science degree offered at the Southern Alberta Institute of
Technology (SAIT) was "built by industry, for industry." The four-year Construction Project Management Degree program is the first of its kind offered in Canada. SAIT started initial work on program development in late 2007 after industry representatives from the Calgary Construction Association and other organizations approached the polytechnic institute to discuss industry's need for construction management professionals. "We looked at different Canadian programs and discovered, interestingly, there are many graduate programs in construction management and project management, but no institutions were offering a Bachelor of Science degree program in this domain," said Dr. Faisal Arain, Program Chair. "Many other countries including the U.S. have been offering Bachelor of Science degrees related to construction management for some time." Using the results of their research as benchmarks, SAIT invited about 25 industry representatives to form an industry focus group to identify the skills sets required of program graduates. Ultimately, SAIT developed 11 program outcomes after which the polytechnic began course development in support of these goals. The completed degree program offers a dynamic combination of practical skills with theoretical knowledge and technical training, focusing on how the principles of scientific management are applied to construction projects.
Dr. Arain explained Bachelor of Science degree programs require a mix of general education, technical and specialization courses. "We included communication, math, physics and a number of electives (science, social science, humanities, communication, law, and technical) to ensure students graduate with a well-rounded base of knowledge." The Program Chair said SAIT received the green light from then Honourable Doug Horner, Minister of Alberta Advanced Education and Technology, for the degree program in January 2011. The timing was perfect for SAIT to announce the program during its well-attended annual open house in February. Dr. Arain also said industry expertise and unwavering support helped expedite the entire process through conception, development, approvals and implementation. "Industry has supported us at every level. We received about 35 letters of support from industry, all of which were included in our submission to Minister Horner." Now, the program's maximum 32 seats are filled with a mix of enthusiastic men and women - and with a very strong, qualified wait list in the wings. "Within two months of its announcement, the program was full." Dr. Arain - and industry - are excited about the program. "It's not only construction management, but construction project management. We start with design, then cover all phases of a wide spectrum of construction projects from small residential to mega oil and gas construction." Those students interested in pursuing post graduate opportunities are in luck. The SAIT program is very well oriented with post graduate construction management-related programs or relevant MBA programs offered at most universities. AQSA, along with the Canadian Institute of Building (CIOB) have maintained contact with Dr. Arain with the objective of offering the very successful Student's Luncheon Presentation program that the two professional bodies have developed for Red River College. Once the new SAIT degree course is established, the intent is to discuss with SAIT the possibility of accreditation of the course for professional membership. |
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Do you have a short submission you would like included? |
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Despite
the heat and humidity of Sri Lanka in July, Graeme enjoyed the event, held
July 23-26 in the city of Colombo.
want it to. 
Taught
by industry professionals, graduates are prepared for leadership roles in the
global construction, engineering, and oil and gas industries. Courses
encompass construction management and extend to the design, tender and
facilities management elements of construction projects. Environmental
sustainability and its application to the construction industry is also an
important element of the program.