CHAPTER 4 DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
4.3 Employer survey
4.3.3 Comparisons within the Employer sample
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employers tended to agree that the industry’s poor image was one of the main reasons for the lack of skilled labour (mean=3.44).
The employers also felt that by improving the quality of construction products, it could be possible to improve the image of the industry (mean=3.67). This finding reflects the findings of Rameezdeen’s (2007) Delphi study. His (Ibid.) study showed that people’s perceptions of the industry were formed through personal contacts and experience with the industry rather than media stories. He concluded that by improving the quality of construction products and the education system, the image could be improved. However, the employers thought that media campaigns could be used to attract new entrants (mean=3.56).
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and it was important for the national economy that they had a strong and growing workforce (Wibowo, 2009).
Contractors, architects, civil engineers and electrical engineers stated that they would not encourage their children to pursue a career in construction. They made up two thirds (67%) of the sample.
The contractors declared that they did not attend career fairs (mean=1.71) or visit high schools to promote the industry and careers therein (mean=1.50). It is indicative of them not being actively involved in promoting the industry and attracting a younger workforce. The other professionals, except the one property developer, also stated that they did not promote careers in the industry or interact with high school students. The industry needed promotion to attract and retain a strong workforce (Liska, 2000).
The various professionals ranked the statements they were presented very differently from each other. The contractors felt that media campaigns targeted at the youth could attract them to the industry and ranked it second. The architects ranked the statement 23rd while quantity surveyors and civil engineers ranked it 10th and 11th respectively. The civil engineers did not think that skilled labour was difficult to find, ranking it 7th. However, the other professionals ranked this statement 3rd and higher. Contractors and quantity surveyors felt that the image could be improved by improving the quality of construction products, ranking it 5th. The civil engineers also agreed by ranking it 7th while the architects disagreed and ranked it 17th. The civil and electrical engineers thought that people’s perception about an industry influenced their decision of entering into that industry and ranked it highest, while the property developer ranked it 2nd and the project manager and architect ranked it 3rd. However, the contractors did not agree and ranked it 7th. The civil and electrical engineers thought that the industry’s poor image was a direct cause for the industry’s current critical skills shortage and ranked it 3rd and 4th respectively. The architects and quantity surveyors were less sure and ranked the statement 17th and 10th respectively. The sub-contractors did not think that companies were suffering from a skills shortage and ranked the statement 7th. However, the other professionals felt that there was indeed skills shortages and ranked it 4th and higher. The quantity surveyors ranked the statement regarding the industry enjoying a positive image 10th while it was ranked 17th by contractors and 25th by the civil engineers. The professionals generally did not think that the industry enjoyed a positive image. The professionals also thought that contracts were not transparent and fraud free where contractors ranked it 22nd and quantity surveyors 26th. The majority of the professionals did not attend career fairs or interact with high school students and ranked the statements 17th and lower.
71 Table 17 Profession means comparison
Statements
Profession
CON ARC QS CE EE PM CM SC PD
(N=14) (N=3) (N=6) (N=5) (N=2) (N=1) (N=1) (N=3) (N=1)
Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank Construction
companies are strongly affected by changes in the business cycle.
4.57 1 4.33 3 4.17 2 4.20 1 4.00 4 5.00 1 5.00 1 4.00 2 5.00 1
Media campaigns targeted at the youth could attract them to work in the industry
4.07 2 2.33 23 3.17 10 3.00 11 4.00 4 4.00 3 4.00 2 3.33 10 4.00 2
Skilled labour is
difficult to find 4.00 3 5.00 1 4.17 2 3.60 7 4.50 1 4.00 3 4.00 2 4.67 1 4.00 2
Construction companies are currently suffering from a shortage of skilled labour.
3.93 4 4.67 2 4.33 1 4.00 3 4.50 1 4.00 3 4.00 2 3.67 7 4.00 2
Improving the quality of construction products could improve the image
3.71 5 3.00 17 3.67 5 3.60 7 3.50 10 4.00 3 4.00 2 4.00 2 4.00 2
72 Table 17 Continued.
Statements
Profession
CON ARC QS CE EE PM CM SC PD
(N=14) (N=3) (N=6) (N=5) (N=2) (N=1) (N=1) (N=3) (N=1)
Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank People
applying for work can expect to be hired if they suit the requirements.
3.64 6 3.67 10 3.17 10 4.00 3 3.00 12 4.00 3 2.00 19 4.00 2 4.00 2
The perception people have about an industry influences their decision to follow a career therein.
3.57 7 4.33 3 3.83 4 4.20 1 4.50 1 4.00 3 2.00 19 3.33 10 4.00 2
The lack of skilled labour prevents companies from growing.
3.57 7 4.33 3 3.33 8 3.00 11 4.00 4 4.00 3 2.00 19 4.00 2 4.00 2
The poor image is the main reason why there is a critical skills shortage due to the industry's unattractiveness as a career choice.
3.57 7 3.00 17 3.17 10 4.00 3 4.00 4 3.00 18 1.00 25 3.67 7 3.00 23
Working on construction sites is safe.
3.43 10 3.67 10 3.17 10 3.00 11 4.00 4 5.00 1 4.00 2 3.00 15 4.00 2
73 Table 17 Continued.
Statements
Profession
CON ARC QS CE EE PM CM SC PD
(N=14) (N=3) (N=6) (N=5) (N=2) (N=1) (N=1) (N=3) (N=1)
Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank There are
career advancement opportunities in my firm
3.43 10 4.33 3 3.17 10 3.60 7 3.50 10 4.00 3 3.00 16 3.67 7 4.00 2
Construction companies only employ part time labourers according to the amount of work in the pipeline
3.36 12 4.00 7 3.67 5 3.60 7 4.00 4 4.00 3 4.00 2 4.00 2 4.00 2
Jobs in construction pay well
2.93 13 3.33 14 3.33 8 2.80 14 3.00 12 2.00 23 4.00 2 3.33 10 4.00 2
The average age of the workforce is over 40 years.
2.93 13 3.67 10 3.50 7 3.40 10 2.50 16 3.00 18 2.00 19 3.00 15 4.00 2
My company regularly promotes careers in the industry.
2.86 15 4.00 7 3.00 18 4.00 3 3.00 12 4.00 3 4.00 2 2.00 21 4.00 2
The industry regularly promotes itself in the media.
2.79 16 2.33 23 3.17 10 2.40 18 2.00 17 4.00 3 4.00 2 2.33 18 4.00 2
74 Table 17 Continued.
Statements
Profession
CON ARC QS CE EE PM CM SC PD
(N=14) (N=3) (N=6) (N=5) (N=2) (N=1) (N=1) (N=3) (N=1)
Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank The
construction industry enjoys a positive image
2.64 17 3.33 14 3.17 10 1.80 25 2.00 17 3.00 18 2.00 19 2.33 18 2.00 26
There are many young people currently employed in the construction industry
2.64 17 4.00 7 3.00 18 2.80 14 2.00 17 3.00 18 4.00 2 3.33 10 4.00 2
I would encourage my children to pursue a career in construction.
2.64 17 2.67 21 3.17 10 2.80 14 2.00 17 4.00 3 4.00 2 3.33 10 4.00 2
The public perceive the construction industry as a positive one
2.57 20 3.33 14 2.83 20 2.80 14 2.00 17 4.00 3 3.00 16 2.00 21 4.00 2
Construction workers generally enjoy job security.
2.29 21 2.00 25 2.83 20 2.40 18 1.50 26 4.00 3 3.00 16 2.33 18 3.00 23
Construction contracts are transparent and fraud free
2.21 22 3.00 17 1.67 26 2.20 23 2.00 17 4.00 3 1.00 25 2.00 21 4.00 2
75 Table 17 Continued.
Statements
Profession
CON ARC QS CE EE PM CM SC PD
(N=14) (N=3) (N=6) (N=5) (N=2) (N=1) (N=1) (N=3) (N=1)
Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank Mean Rank Construction
companies are currently growing in capacity and workforce
2.21 22 2.67 21 2.67 24 2.40 18 2.00 17 3.00 18 2.00 19 2.67 17 4.00 2
I interact regularly with high school students.
2.21 22 3.67 10 3.17 10 2.20 23 2.00 17 2.00 23 4.00 2 2.00 21 4.00 2
I attend career fairs and events to promote my company and the industry.
1.71 25 3.00 17 2.83 20 2.40 18 3.00 12 2.00 23 4.00 2 1.67 25 4.00 2
I regularly visit high schools to inform them about careers in construction.
1.50 26 2.00 25 2.33 25 1.80 25 2.00 17 2.00 23 4.00 2 1.67 25 3.00 23
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