Framework for competency development of building construction graduates for enhancing employment

Abstract

The steady increase in unemployment among building construction graduates of polytechnics in Nigeria is of concern. Efforts of relevant stakeholders have not been effective in mitigating the problem. This study is aimed at proffering a strategy to addressing this issue. The researchers sought to explore the competencies required by employers in order to develop an integrated competency framework to augment existing training programs, thereby bridging the competency gap between employers and graduates. A survey instrument was used to collect data from a sample of 200 building construction experts. These experts were selected by a proportionate stratified sampling technique. Three experts, one each from academia, the private sector, and the public sector, validated the contents of the instrument. Winstep software version 3.73.3 was used to determine the reliability of the technical and nontechnical competencies sub constructs, and to obtain item strata for development of the competency hierarchy. The findings revealed a four-staged competency hierarchy for enhancing graduates’ employability according to the Dreyfus and Dreyfus Novice to experts’ theory of competency. The competency levels were divided according to logit obtained from Winstep Analysis. A total of 26 sub constructs met the proposed competency framework. Findings from the study will have significant implications for the government, employers of labour, professionals, skills training centers and graduates.