A Training and Skills Development Conceptual Framework for Construction Technicians in Nigeria

Abstract

A training framework has been developed for immediate use in the construction industry in Nigeria, due to the inadequacy and incompetency of the existing workers’ skills. This framework will result in the greater performance concerning the finished products quality, efficient productive time, and optimal costs. The framework will also result in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Vision 2030. Such improvements from the framework will be allied with the various achievements made by the construction industry internationally within the developed nations on the economic growth, which attainments are based on workforce skills. Hence, the limited skilled workforces “masonry, carpentry, plumbing, electrical installation and IT, painting and decoration among others” will improve and strengthen the construction industry within Nigeria and continuous improvement to the skilled workforce after several construction projects that will have impact on time, cost, and project quality. Obviously, in a vastly competitive market, a suitable tool for skills upgrade is an effective and efficient workforce training. In advanced nations, training for skills upgrading is a top priority and practitioners, academics in successful organisations concede it, which is not different in the case of Nigeria a developing nation. Although technicians’ training within the Nigerian perspective seems to be blurred to most employers of the construction organisations.

In achieving this research aim, a mixed research approach covers the quantitative and qualitative methods was chosen for the data collection from the participants through stratified random sampling for the industry survey to gain information. Questionnaires were designed and administered covering important criteria on training and skills upgrade identified from the literature. The questionnaires were sent to a sample of respondents in Nigeria and a net response rate of 76.60% was achieved after followed up by the researcher. To enhance further data collection, an in-depth interview with selected participants within the construction professions was conducted.

Findings of both data analyses indicated the mitigating factors that negate the industry development to include: the stakeholders’ ineffective attitudes and poor commitments to workforce training, the negative image portrayed on the profession to the younger generations, insufficient or poor funding, poor technological advancement, ineffective
training models, low accessibility of data and information, corruptions practices and ineffective strategies implementation, deprived infrastructural management. Nigeria’s approach to training for construction related apprenticeships has been generic instead of focussing upon specific skills, and different reforms on training have not thrived in addressing the recurrent skills gaps.

The findings from the analyses suggest that effective and efficient workforce training is a key prerequisite for competent organisations to gain an edge over its competitors within the construction market in accomplishing the SDG by 2030. Also, effective guidelines and counselling systems should be offered to foster the youths on important economic prospects in pursuing construction careers as high potentials. Furthermore, educators and practitioners are enlightened on how to improve the proportion of women participation in the construction related profession. Thus, recommendations for future studies should explore on in-depth measures to enhance competency in related organisations. A different approach at the management level to determine the degree and impact of employers’ attitudes to technicians’ training for more clarity.