Australia’s Quantity Surveying Skills Shortage — And How QIA Is Building a Smarter, More Resilient Resourcing Model
Australia’s construction and infrastructure pipeline continues to expand, but the pool of qualified Quantity Surveyors isn’t growing at the same pace. Record public and private investment, combined with increasingly complex projects, is placing significant pressure on the cost-management profession at a time when experienced QSs are already in short supply.
Recent industry commentary echoes what many of us experience daily. Jobs and Skills Australia consistently lists civil-engineering professionals—including Quantity Surveyors—among the most in-demand occupations nationwide. Several consultancies now openly refer to an “acute skills shortage” across all states and territories, driven by major road, rail, energy and social-infrastructure programs and the lead-up to Brisbane 2032.
At the same time, expectations of the profession have broadened. Clients now look for QSs who can advise on whole-of-life cost planning, procurement strategy, commercial risk, digital workflows and embodied-carbon analysis—not just traditional measurement and estimating.
But the talent pipeline isn’t keeping up.
Why the Skills Gap Matters
A shortage of skilled QSs creates real risks across the industry:
Longer recruitment cycles and higher delivery costs
Greater pressure on mid-career QSs to lead complex assignments
Reduced ability for organisations to respond to tender surges
Risk of inconsistent cost governance, especially during design changes
Competition for the same limited talent pool among consultants, builders and government agencies
With these pressures mounting, the firms that succeed will be those that rethink how they source, structure and retain QS capability.
QIA’s Strategy: A Hybrid, Scalable Resourcing Model
Quantum Insights Advisory (QIA) has adopted a forward-thinking approach to talent: combining strong local expertise with integrated offshore capability and flexible secondment options. The goal is simple—deliver high-quality cost and carbon advisory services without being constrained by the Australian talent bottleneck.
This model has three core pillars:
1. Strengthening our Sydney-based core team
Our local QS, estimating, carbon and commercial specialists lead all engagements, set the strategic direction and maintain quality assurance. This provides:
Deep understanding of Australian market conditions
Compliance with policy, standards and procurement frameworks
Direct collaboration with clients, designers and stakeholders
Delivery oversight and risk control on every assignment
This team anchors QIA’s technical standard and ensures consistency across all workstreams.
2. Bolstering capability with high-quality offshore QS talent
To expand output without compromising quality, QIA integrates a carefully selected offshore team into our Australian workflows.
A key insight emerged during COVID: remote work taught us that excellent collaboration doesn’t require everyone to be in the same room. Productivity, communication and quality can remain high when supported by the right systems and leadership.
This opened the door for a smarter, more flexible resourcing model.
Our offshore team gives clients:
Additional bandwidth during peak periods
Rapid mobilisation for large estimates, bills of quantities and feasibility work
A cost-efficient way to scale QS capacity
Continuity during recruitment challenges or sudden resource gaps
All offshore work flows through QIA’s templates, systems and QA, ensuring deliverables match Australian expectations.
3. Providing seconded and contract QS resources
With so many organisations struggling to hire mid-senior QSs, QIA now offers on-demand resourcing, including:
Short- and medium-term secondments
Project-specific commercial and cost support
Embedded QSs for developers, contractors and government clients
Each secondee is backed by QIA’s senior team, giving clients both reliable capacity and high-level oversight.
A More Sustainable Way Forward for the Profession
Australia’s QS skills shortage won’t resolve quickly. With infrastructure and energy investment locked in, and with carbon reporting becoming standard practice, demand for skilled QS talent will remain high.
QIA’s hybrid model—local leadership, offshore capability and flexible secondment resources—offers a resilient, future-proof solution. It allows clients to:
Maintain consistent cost governance
Respond quickly to changing project demands
Bring specialised cost or carbon skills into a project exactly when needed
Reduce delivery risk in volatile market conditions
As the profession evolves, so must the way we think about talent. At QIA, we see this period not just as a challenge, but as an opportunity to build a stronger, more adaptable and capability-rich model for cost and carbon advisory in Australia.
