2 research outputs found
An examination of the relationship between skills development and productivity in the construction industry
In recent years, the UK government skills policy has emphasised the role of workforce
skills development as a key driver of economic success and improving productivity
across all sectors of the economy. The importance of skills (as a vehicle for enhancing
productivity performance) is highlighted within numerous government reports, such as
Skills White Papers (2003 and 2005), in addition to the Leitch Review of Skills (2006) which coincided with the outset of this research. Thus, the aim of this research was to
examine the relationship between skills development and productivity in the
construction industry in order to assess the assumptions of government skills policy in
the context of the sector.
A multi-method approach was adopted in this research. This involved the analysis of:
official construction statistics, levy/grant and financial accounts data of construction
companies, in addition to a telephone survey. The main findings of the research are
published in five peer reviewed academic papers, demonstrating the tenuous nature of
the relationship between skills development and productivity performance, particularly
when considering the heterogeneous nature of the construction industry. Government
claims about the mono-causal relationship between skills and productivity should be
treated with caution. A simple boost in qualification levels or participation rates of
training is unlikely to lead to productivity improvements in the construction sector.However, skills development and training activities needs to be targeted and focused if
the desired outcome of enhancing productivity performance is to be achieved.
Construction companies needs to be proactive in addressing the skills and training needs
of their business through drawing on the various support available through CITBConstructionSkills
training grants or participating in appropriate skills/training
initiatives, such as apprenticeship schemes. The provision of 'productivity-based'
training grants should be considered by CITB-CS in order to prompt construction
companies to consider training as a plausible means for enhancing their productivity
performance.
Finally, the recommendations presented in this thesis and areas for further research sets out
the potential way forward in terms of advancing knowledge in this area
An exploration of the relationship between training grants and the profitability of UK construction companies
A levy/grant system exists in the UK construction industry to
provide financial support for companies undertaking training
activities. With the current UK government skills policy, there
is an emphasis on ensuring that training support provided to
employers is aimed at enhancing companies’ profitability. This
paper explores the profitability of construction companies in
relation to training grants. Inferential and descriptive statistics
were used to analyze a uniquely combined dataset over the
period 2002–2005. The research revealed that there is not a
simple linear relationship between training grants and profitability.
However, large and more profitable companies claimed
more training grants in relation to the following areas of training:
management, qualifying their existing workforce (certifying
the skills of their existing workforce) and developing training
plans. The authors argue that training grants should be targeted
and focused towards specific areas of training if profitability
gains are to be achievable. Future research should consider
training grant utilization within the context of construction
companies in order to ascertain the real contribution of training
grants to their profitability