CRITICAL FACTORS INFLUENCING BUILDING GRADUATES' EMPLOYABILITY IN A DEVELOPING ECONOMY

Schools of higher learning are endowed with the prerogative of churning out employable graduates to the workplace. This can only be achieved by measuring the need-thermometer in skills and capacities required in the industry in comparison with the education provided by the higher institutions. The study was aimed at evaluating the critical factors that influence building graduates’ employability in a developing economy. Using an employer-academia perspective, a cross-section survey system through a questionnaire instrument provided information on graduate employability in the built environment industry. Top management officials in construction industry and academia in the built environment in schools of higher learning in Lagos and Ogun State provided the data for the study. Statistical tools such as stacked bars and Linear Regression was used in presenting the data. The study revealed major skills (communication, teamwork, professional expertise/problem-solving, self-management, planning and organizing, ICT, life-long learning, and initiative/enterprise) required by employers in the construction industry. The study showed that teaching strategies and curriculum content can influence building graduates’ employability. In conclusion, the study developed a framework for increasing building graduates’ employability to align with the skills needed by employers in the built environment in a developing economy. It is recommended that schools of higher learning need to continually measure the needs of the industry and incorporate findings into a robust construction curriculum. Work-learning settings should be encouraged for construction students

IMPROVING MARKETING FUNCTIONS THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE AMONG CONSTRUCTION SMEs

With over 3.5 billion people connected to the internet, small and medium-scale (SME) construction businesses have the opportunity to enhance their customer base. The study assessed ways by which marketing functions of SME construction businesses can be improved through social media presence of the firms. The study used a quota-purposive sampling of construction businesses in Nigeria’s mega city, Lagos State. The small and medium scale construction businesses comprised of consulting and contracting firms. Using a questionnaire instrument, the social media arm of the marketing unit of SME construction businesses was measured. Presentation of the data was carried out using pie charts and principal component analysis. The study identified two main critical success factors (CSFs) – Firm/Social Media characteristics and Security/Investment factor enabling the Social Media infrastructure for SME construction businesses. A focus on these entities would ensure the successful integration of social media marketing strategies in the traditional marketing functions of construction SMEs. The survival of SME construction business is hinged on the availability of customers which social media exposure helps attract and interact with potential customers. SME Construction businesses of the 21st century must align with the ‘global village’ trend of incorporating social media applications in their traditional marketing functions

Safety Cultured Industry Through The Integration Of Occupational Health And Safety (OHS) Courses In The Built Environment Curriculum

Globally, around 5,500 workers die daily from accidents or diseases at work with one-quarter of construction workers more probable than other workers. The rate of accidents leading to fatalities on Nigeria’s construction sites is becoming worrisome. Human factor such as workers’ non-compliance, low commitment from top management, negligence, human failures have largely been blamed. Safety is not simply common sense, therefore, construction workers and students need to be trained in order to have a sustainable construction industry. The aim of this study is to assess a safety cultured industry through the integration of occupational health and safety (OHS) courses in the Built environment curriculum. An in depth literature review of OHS training materials and using a crosssectional research design through questionnaire survey and interview sessions with educationists and construction students in the built environment were utilized. A purposive sampling method was adopted for the study. Two sets of questionnaires were developed for the study. Out of the 55 copies of research questionnaire distributed for Educationist, 38 were completed and returned representing a 69% response rate while 100 copies of research questionnaire were distributed to final year construction students with 85 returned representing an 85% response rate. Returned questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS v21.0. The study developed a framework for the integration of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) courses, the instructional design, and facilities in the Built environment curriculum. The result revealed that construction students had little awareness about Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) courses with the main awareness in use of personal protective equipment (PPE). From the study, educationists revealed that construction students’ knowledge in Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) courses will foster a healthy and safe construction environment and also increase employability after graduation. Using a t-test tool, the study revealed that there is no agreement between educationists and construction students on the adequacy of teaching facilities for OHS courses. The study recommended that adequate and effective occupational health and safety (OHS) courses be integrated in the Built environment courses with sufficient facilities and trained personnel to guarantee its success and purpose

Integrating Software Development Courses in the Construction Curriculum

Researchers have largely revealed the importance of ICT/Software in changing the economy of a nation and achieving sustainable goals. The present youth population are a result of the computer/internet age and these characteristics should be harnessed. The study examined the integration of software development courses in the construction curriculum, specifically in the business of resource management. The study employed the use of a cross-sectional survey design using the instrument of questionnaire to obtain data. A total of thirty (30) educationist in the built environment participated in the study and were selected randomly through a convenient sampling method. The data obtained were analyzed using SPSS v21.0. Descriptive and Inferential statistics test of Factor Analysis, One-way ANOVA and Kruskal wallis were conducted. Results revealed that the factors that engender learning of software development courses in the construction curriculum are grouped into three (3) namely teaching support factors, learning Support factors and the regulatory support factors. The study revealed that poor delivering method, poor internet connectivity and low patronage of indigenous software are significant barriers to the integration of software development courses in the construction curriculum. In conclusion, there was no significant difference among construction professionals on the benefits of integrating software development courses in the construction curriculum. The study recommended the speedy integration of software development courses in the construction curriculum, carefully aided with adequate teaching and learning facilities. In addition, government should support and patronize locally developed software in order to aid the growth of the industry in the sub Saharan Africa

Antioxidant profile changes in reproductive tissues of rats treated with nicotine

Objectives: Nicotine intake has been associated with reduced fertility, although the mechanisms responsible are still unclear. However, oxidative stress has been repeatedly implicated as the leading cause of male infertility. This study was therefore designed to investigate the effects of nicotine administration on testicular oxidant and antioxidant system in male albino rats. Materials and Methods: Forty male rats weighing between 150 and 180 g were divided into five groups and treated orally for 30 days. Group I, which served as the control received 0.2 ml/kg normal saline, Groups II and III received 0.5 mg/kg and 1.0 mg/kg body weight (BW) of nicotine respectively. The fourth and fifth groups were administered with 0.5 mg/kg and 1.0 mg/kg BW of nicotine, but were left untreated for another 30 days. Homogenate of testis and epididymis were assayed for lipid peroxidation and anti-oxidant enzyme. Results: The results show a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in testicular glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, catalase and superoxide dismutase while a significant increase (P < 0.05) was observed in testicular lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide level in both groups when compared with the control. Conclusion: This experiment established that nicotine administration is associated with decreased testicular antioxidant and increase testicular lipid peroxidation, which might be a mechanism by which nicotine induce infertility

Lipid Peroxidation in Brain Tissue Following Administration of Low and High Doses of Arsenite and L-Ascorbate in Wistar Strain Rats

This study aimed at investigating the mechanism by which sodium arsenite induces brain injury and the role of L-ascorbate. Thirty adult (n=5) Wistar rats weighing between 140 and 160 g were used. Group 1 neither received sodium arsenite nor L-ascorbate (control), group 2 was administered low dose of arsenite only, group 3 received high dose of arsenite only, group 4 was administered L-ascorbate only, group 5 was administered low dose of arsenite and L-ascorbate, and group 6 received high dose of arsenite and L-ascorbate. M0 alon dialdehyde, MDA, levels were significantly increased in rats treated with high dose of arsenite when compared with those treated with low dose of arsenite. However, all treated groups except those treated with L-ascorbate only showed significant increase in MDA levels when compared with the control group. Rats treated with high dose of arsenite and L-ascorbate showed a significantly higher MDA level than those treated with low dose of arsenite and L-ascorbate. However, catalase activity, body weight gain, brain weight and mean food consumption were comparable across all groups. Brain tissue total protein was similar in all groups except in both groups treated with high dose of arsenite, where they were significantly reduced when compared with the control group. I0 n conclusion, sodium arsenite treatment induces brain injury via a mechanism associated with lipid peroxidation, but not catalase-dependent. However, L-ascorbate ameliorates arsenite-induced oxidative injury in the brain. L-ascorbate antioxidative potential in alleviating arsenite-induced brain injury is dependent on the concentration of arsenite

Potentiation effect of the AMPK activator A-769662 on cardiac myocytes metabolism and survival

Abstract 286 van Poster session 2 Frontiers in CardioVascular Biology, London 30th March – 1st April 2012 Second Congress of the ESC Council on Basic Cardiovascular Science