The Australian construction industry may be facing a critical shortage of surveyors, with skilled workers retiring at a faster rate than new ones are being trained.

Some sites have had to bring in surveyors from overseas to fill local demand. With interest in surveying low among school students, the industry says something needs to be done to fill the gap.

Chairman of the Surveyors Board of South Australia Michael Nietschke says a majority of his members are in the fifties, and the board facing a tough task trying to get new blood into the industry. A recent report has found if the shortage is not addressed it should reach its peak in 2019, at which point estimates show the industry will be 1500 short of a targeted 9500 surveyors.

Mr Nietschke says not enough students are choosing high-level maths and science subjects; pre-requisites to studying surveying. Authorities say it is a symptomatic of a larger problem in the lack of encouragement for students to pursue so called ‘smart trades’ such as surveying and engineering, with not enough getting a basis in maths and science during high school.