PAA may recruit overseas experts
THE Provisional Airport Authority (PAA) may have to recruit overseas experts to manage construction of Chek Lap Kok airport after receiving just 50 local applications for key jobs.
The positions require people with more than 10 years' experience of international infrastructure projects.
Although there are suitably qualified people in Hong Kong, the amount of construction here and in China means there is a shortage of top specialists.
A PAA spokesman was unable to say how many positions needed to be filled but industry insiders believed there could be as many as 30 to 40 vacancies.
The engineers will be split into two groups.
One will manage the installation of mechanical and electrical equipment including air-conditioning, water and power supplies and lighting, while the other will oversee and manage the consultants responsible for building and civil engineering design.
There are already more than 15 groups of consulting firms working on different aspects of the airport design. All will require a PAA-employed design manager.
The PAA's personnel department is reviewing the applications and will not be in a position to decide before the end of June whether there will be enough suitable local candidates for the jobs.
The authority has a liaison office in London to handle recruitment in Britain, Western Europe and North America from where a shortage could be quickly filled.
