Himanshu Shah
“I feel more motivated to keep performing at a high standard. I also feel that my certification is a benefit for not only myself, but for my employer. We do a lot of tendering and bidding work for clients. When we and our marketing team provides the client with our qualification, they know they’re in good hands because we’re Gold Seal Certified. Having my Gold Seal Certification is beneficial for my career growth also.”
Himanshu Shah, GSC, Senior Estimator, Stuart Olson Construction Ltd.
Himanshu is a senior estimator at Stuart Olson Construction Ltd. His role has him working mostly from a commercial office however, Himanshu is also found on-site for pre-bid site visits and sub trade procurement. He is involved in the concept stages of project, during preliminary phases of design and cost planning. As part of his job, he is involved in the pricing, budgeting and costing of institutional, commercial and industrial projects.
Himanshu arrived to Canada in 2016. His journey in construction began in India. “I completed my civil engineering diploma in India in 1994 and began working on-site right away to get construction experience. After working on a project for 3 years, I was offered a job in an office where I was appointed as quantity surveyor. The role and responsibilities of a quantity surveyor are very similar to that of a construction estimator, but with a different title. Eventually, in 1999, I received an opportunity to travel to Dubai, UAE. There I joined an international construction company and during that time, I pursued my bachelor’s degree (BSc) in quantity surveying. I also applied for the membership of Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and was awarded the title of a Chartered Quantity Surveyor from the Queen’s Charter in the UK. I further got the opportunity to work for an oil & gas company in Abu Dhabi in 2012 and led a team of quantity surveyors to commercially manage the project. Eventually, my family and I decided to move out of the UAE and come to Canada in 2016.”
“I knew about the Gold Seal Certification before I came to Canada, while I was job hunting. I was told by me employment counselor that it was a valuable certification in the Canadian construction industry that would tremendously boost my career prospects in this country. Having the Gold Seal Certification is like having the Chartered Quantity Surveying from RICS. Both require you to follow a code of conduct to provide highest level of services while maintaining ethical and professional standards.”
Due to Himanshu’s education and experience in the field, he was awarded the Gold Seal Certification, after application, through the reciprocity agreement. Nevertheless, there are always challenges along the way to earning a Gold Seal Certification.”I faced challenges in other ways. I am incredibly career motivated and transitioning into a new country and workplace has been the challenge for myself and my family. As a dedicated family man, it is my responsibility to spend time with my wife and children. However, they are incredibly understanding when it comes to giving me the time to focus on work and my professional/educational development.”
“Gold Seal Certification is an asset for everyone who possess it. Overall it is a very informative and knowledge-gaining experience going through the GSC program. I sincerely suggest industry professionals to go for it and those who are already GSC affiliated should strive hard to provide highest standard of service that promotes trust in the profession.”