KUWAIT CITY, Dec 29: The Union of Kuwaiti Engineering Offices and Consulting Houses has announced the opening of registration for four professional engineering certifications, beginning in January. The initiative aims to address the need for qualified engineering professionals to overcome the challenges and significant losses faced by some owners, offices, and consulting firms in Kuwait due to a lack of skilled engineering staff.

Eng. Badr Al-Salman, the head of the union, explained that the certificates will provide the necessary qualified engineering professionals to avoid many of the obstacles encountered during the drafting and execution of engineering and contracting contracts. He specified that the four certifications available are: Project Management Consultant Engineer, Project Management Professional Engineer, Contract Management Consultant Engineer, and Contract Management Professional Engineer.

Al-Salman emphasized that the certification process will align with the standards set by the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC), noting that the Union of Kuwaiti Engineering Offices and Consulting Houses is the official FIDIC member in Kuwait.

The union president highlighted that the goal of opening registration for these certificates is to strengthen the workforce and minimize losses resulting from shortcomings in contract and project management. He pointed out that contracting agreements play a significant role in development plans and that the successful performance of these contracts depends on evaluating key elements such as contract duration, value, and technical aspects like work quality and the scope of work.

Al-Salman also underscored the need for specialized engineers to mitigate legal disputes arising from disagreements between contracting parties over contract provisions and project mismanagement. He noted that improving engineers' efficiency in these areas is crucial.

Additionally, Al-Salman emphasized that the failure in contract and project management has highlighted the importance of having designated individuals who can perform the roles of Contract Manager (CA) and Project Manager (PM/CM) during contract implementation, which is essential to reducing disputes and legal challenges between contracting parties.