ABSTRACT

Skilled workforce is critical to the socio-economic development of a country and forms the backbone of the construction industry. This study investigated the problem of construction skilled labour shortages and their impact on the competitiveness of building sector in South-East, Nigeria. The objectives were to evaluate the magnitude of skilled labour shortages, identify the root causes of skilled labour shortages, investigate the impact of skilled labour shortages on the competitiveness of construction companies in South-East, and to determine strategies for mitigating skilled labour shortages. The study adopted survey research strategy using structured questionnaires. The study targeted 100 construction professionals (architects, builders, engineers, quantity surveyors, and project/construction managers) engaged in indigenous building contracting firms operating in three states of South-East. The data collected were analysed using Mean Score Index, Standard Deviation, Kruskal Wallis Test, and Spearman Rank Order Correlation Analysis. The research findings revealed that, poor funding of vocational skills centers, ageing skilled workforce, rapid growth of self-employment, lack of craft skills appeal to young people,andpromotion of diploma and degree over technical are the top causes of skilled labour shortages in South-East. Construction skilled labour shortages also affect the competitiveness of construction companies in terms of quality of work, project completion time, cost of project, financial profitability, andmarketing capability. Firms’ competitiveness in South-East and construction skilled labour shortages is therefore significantly interrelated. The implication is that; firms’ competitiveness can be improved by tackling the problem of construction skill shortages. The study therefore recommends effective deployment of the relevant strategies validated in this study by government, professional regulators and contractors in order to curb skilled labour shortages in the construction sector in South-East.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Index                                      Title                                                                                 Page                                                       Declaration      --          --          --          --          -- --      --         --     --      --      --     ---     -      iii

Dedication      --          --          --          --          --          --        --        --      --       --      --         iv

Certification-   --          --          --          --          --          --         ---     --      --       --      --          v

Acknowledgements    --          --          --          --          --         --         --      --       --      --       vi

Abstract --       --          --          --          --          --          --        --         ---      ---     --       --      vii                                                                      Table of Contents --    --          --          --          --          --        ---        ---       --       ---     --     viii

List of Tables  --          --          --          --          --          ---      ---         ---       ---       ---   -       xiii   

   CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION                                                                                                  

1.1       Background of the Study--     --          --          --          --          --          --          --         1          

1.2       Statement of Research Problems        --          --          --          --          --          --         2          

1.3       Aim and Objectives of the Study--    --          --          --          --          ---        --         3          

1.4       Research Questions     --          --          --          --          --          ---    ------     ---  ---     3

1.5       Hypotheses of the Study --     --          --          --          --          --          --          --          4

1.6       Significance of the Study --    --          --          --          --          --          --          ---        4

1.7      Scope and Delimitation of the Study --           --          --          --          --          --          5

1.9     Organization of the Thesis.         --         ----      ----     ----      ---     ---   ----      ----    5               

CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURES                                      7         

2.1      Introduction                                                                                                                7

2.2       The Nigerian Construction Industry                                                                          7

2.3       The Economic Contribution of Construction Sector in Nigeria                               8

2.3.1    Contribution of Skilled Labour to Construction Output                                            13

2.4       Construction Trade Skills                                                                                           14  

 2.5.     Shortage of Construction Trade Skills in the Industry                                               14   

2.5.1    Factors Affecting the Supply of Skilled Workforce                                                  15       

2.5.2    The Effect of Skills Shortage in the Construction Industry                                       18   

2.6       Impact of Skill Labour Shortage on Competitiveness of Building Sector                 25

2.10     Summary of Literature                                                                                                26

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY                                               27 

3.1       Introduction                                                                                                             27

3.2       Research Design                                                                                                      27             

3.3       Area of Study                                                                                                          27

3.4       Population of Study                                                                                                28

3.5       Sample and Sampling Technique                                                                           29

3.6       Method of Data Collection                                                                                     29

3.6.1    Data Collection Instrument                                                                                     30

3.6.2    Questionnaire Administration.                                                                                31

3.6.3    Validity and Reliability of Instrument                                                                   31

3.7       Method of Data Analysis                                                                                       31

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTETION, ANALYSES AND

             DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS                                                                         34                          

4.1       Introduction                                                                                                          34

4.2       Data Analysis and Interpretation                                                                         34         

4.2.1    Causes of Skilled Labour Shortages in the Building Sector                                35

4.2.2    Extent of Shortages of Skilled Labour Trades in the Building Sector                 37

4.3.3    1mpact of Skilled Labour Shortages on the Competitiveness of the

           Building Sector                                                                                                    38

4.4.      Testing of Hypotheses                                                                                         41             

4.6       Discussion of Findings                                                                                        41

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1       Summary of Results                                                                                            43

5.1.1    Objective One: Causes of Skilled Labour Shortage in Building Trades   43                         

5.1.2   Objective Two: The Extent of Shortages of Skilled Labour Trades in the

             Building Sector                                                                                                  44

5.1.3    Objective Three: Impact of Skilled Labour Shortage on the

            Competitiveness of the Building Sector                                                              44                               &nbsp