ROLE OF VOCATIONAL TRAINING IN BRIDGING SKILL GAP IN THE BUILDING INDUSTRY OF NIGERIA
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ROLE OF VOCATIONAL TRAINING IN BRIDGING SKILL GAP IN THE BUILDING INDUSTRY OF NIGERIA
CHAPITRE ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Skills are what a person possesses and can be learned formally or on-the-job. The discrepancy between the skills necessary on the work and the actual skills possessed by the staff is referred to as the skill gap.
A skills gap occurs when a worker lacks all of the abilities required to accomplish the job effectively. Thus, skills gaps refer to the circumstance in which an industry has personnel but they are insufficiently skilled to achieve the organization’s objectives (Jean, 2003).
The construction sector is expanding, however it appears that the supply of competent professional construction workers is dwindling (Odusami & Ene, 2011). A skill gap is a lack of performance. It is the discrepancy between what is expected and what is required.
A skill gap is defined as the desired performance minus the current performance. As a result, it is also known as the performance gap. A skills gap or performance gap is the difference between current or actual performance and optimal or future performance.
Vocational training is an educational training that includes knowledge, skills, competencies, structural activities, abilities, capabilities, and all other structural experiences acquired through formal, on-the-job or off-the-job training that can improve recipients’ chances of securing jobs in various sectors of the economy or even enabling the person to be self-sufficient by creating jobs.
According to the Federal Republic of Nigeria (2004), vocational training is a component of the educational process that includes, in addition to general education, the study of technologies and related sciences, as well as the acquisition of practical skills, attitudes, understanding, and knowledge related to occupations in the construction sector.
According to Manfred and Jennifer (2004), vocational training includes all more or less organised or structured activities that attempt to provide people with the information, skills, and competencies required to do a job or set of tasks, regardless of whether they lead to a formal qualification.
These definitions demonstrate the relationship between vocational training and skill development in the Nigerian building sector. Poor workmanship and building failure are common symptoms of Skills problems.
With the exception of the rich and powerful enclaves, Nigerian cities are characterised by poor quality constructions, poor layout and street access, a lack of vital utility services, inadequate security, and social services (Alemika, 2010).
Evidently, deficiencies exist between the skills of vocational workers and those required to meet the needs and expectations of employers in the Building sector, prompting the researcher to investigate the role of vocational training in bridging the skill gap that exists in the Nigerian building industry.
The Nigerian building industry’s skill gap can be ascribed to a declining supply of competent skilled construction workers and an influx of unskilled, inefficient, and disgruntled workers who perceive the construction business as a last alternative (ITF, 2014).
Adequate and effective vocational training in Nigeria can meet the Nigerian building industry’s demand for highly skilled human resources.
Building drawing skills, surveying, landscaping and site preparation skills, foundation skills, ability to use machines for construction, ability to use hand tools for practical work, brick and block laying skills,
roofing skills, masonry skills in building, concreting and reinforcement skills, carpentry and joinery skills, final finishes skills and plumbing skills are all needed in the construction industry.
The Nigerian government, through the Federal Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development, has recently expressed worry over the current shortage of trained artisans and craftsmen in the building construction industry.
They claimed that artisans and craftspeople are a key component of the value chain in housing delivery and are required to produce well-built, high-quality, and long-lasting homes on a larger scale across the country. The ministry is using two vocational training institutes in Lagos state to improve the skills of this group of tradespeople.
The ministry just finished renovating and updating its buildings on Harvey Road, in Yaba-Lagos, while a school of Architectural and Building Technicians is being built in Kuje, in the FCT.
The Nigerian Federal Government is working to build six more skills acquisition/vocational training institutes across the country, as well as to conduct a review of the curricula for artisan and vocational training in collaboration with relevant institutions.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Aside from skill obsolescence, which occurs over time in the Nigerian construction business, there are additional variables that generate skill gaps, which adequate vocational training might have prevented. The shifting pattern of work in the construction industry is a major influence.
Current workplace trends such as globalisation, commercialization, flexi-hours, deregulation, outsourcing, contract labour, homework, and freelancing have resulted in significant changes in industry structure. All of these changes are driven by new definitions, meanings, and applications of knowledge.
Flexible, adaptable, less hierarchical, multi-skilled work arrangements that enable continuous learning are becoming sources of competitive advantage in the construction sector. International rivalry for jobs and workers has also increased,
resulting in a worldwide talent hunt for innovative, knowledge-driven individuals. However, the researcher is investigating the significance of vocational training in closing skill gaps in the Nigerian construction industry.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The following are the study’s objectives:
1. To investigate the role of vocational training in closing the skill gap in the Nigerian construction industry.
2. To identify talent shortfalls in the Nigerian construction industry.
3. To investigate the efficiency and sufficiency of vocational training in Nigeria.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. What role does vocational training play in closing the skill gap in the Nigerian construction industry?
2. What are the skill gaps in Nigeria’s construction industry?
3. How successful and adequate is vocational training in Nigeria?
1.5 HYPOTHESIS
HO: Vocational training has not filled the skill deficit in Nigeria’s construction industry.
HA: Vocational training has helped to bridge the skill gap in Nigeria’s construction industry.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The following are the study’s implications:
1. The findings of this study will educate the general public, government, and policymakers on the degree of vocational training in Nigeria, as well as the skill gaps that existed in the Nigerian building sector when vocational training was considered.
2. This research will also serve as a resource base for other academics and researchers interested in conducting additional research in this sector in the future, and if implemented, will go so far as to provide new explanations for the topic.
1.7 SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
This study will explore the achievements and failures of buildings and other structures in Nigeria as a reference in determining the level of competency of Nigeria builders. It will also discuss the framework of vocational education in Nigeria.
STUDY LIMITATIONS
Financial constraint- A lack of funds tends to restrict the researcher’s efficiency in locating relevant materials, literature, or information, as well as in the data collection procedure (internet, questionnaire, and interview).
Time constraint- The researcher will conduct this investigation alongside other academic activities. As a result, the amount of time spent on research will be reduced.
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Expertise: the capacity to perform something well.
Training is the process of teaching a human or animal a specific skill or kind of behaviour.
A regular occupation, particularly one for which a person is uniquely fit or competent.
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