2,979 results on '"*BUILDING trades"'
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2. The Development of a Competency Framework for Architectural Engineering Graduates: Perspectives by the Construction Industry in Indonesia
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Rihab Wit Daryono, Nur Hidayat, Muhammad Nurtanto, and Athok Fu'Adi
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The discrepancy between competence and real work in engineering graduates can be resolved with cooperation by the construction industry. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the appropriate and required architectural engineering competencies with the current demands and conditions of the construction industry. So, this study aims to analyze the determinants of competence and test the competency development model for architectural engineering graduates according to the needs of the construction industry. The research sample method is non-probability sampling using purposive sampling. The research sample consisted of 240 practitioners and trainers from 40 construction industry companies. The PLS-SEM technique was used to test the measurement and structural models (3 dimensions, 8 elements, 47 constructs/indicators, and 9 hypotheses). The competence of architecture graduates is determined by the dominant factor, namely Utilities and Building Construction (UBC1 & UBC2, [lambda] = 89.90%), and Building Estimation and Costing (BEC7, [lambda] = 73.30%) is the lowest factor. The ability of the structural model to explain architectural competency measurements is 36.20% in the moderate category. The predictive relevance value (Q2) explains 47.5% to 56.0% of the phenomena predicted in the field and explains the level of strength of the observed value in the structural model. Furthermore, 9 hypotheses from 8 dimensions have a positive and significant effect. The results of this study can be a recommendation for schools in the competency implementation model, and efforts to improve graduates' abilities and skills so that they can be absorbed by the construction industry and reduce unemployment.
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- 2024
3. Building Heroes: Building Bridges to Support the Transition from Military to Civilian Employment in the Construction Industry
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Charlotte Meierdirk
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Purpose: Many veterans struggle with the civilian world and the loss of identity associated with leaving the service. This research investigates the Building Heroes Charity's role in assisting service leavers transitioning to civil employment, in the United Kingdom (UK) and what can be learnt from the training and support. Design/methodology/approach: An exploratory case study design was chosen to investigate the transition from military to civilian employment. The case study consisted of 12 in-depth interviews consisting of nine veterans, who had attended the Building Heroes courses and three course tutors. Findings: The Building Heroes Charity does have an important role to fulfill in the transition of military personnel from the service to civilian work. There are positive outcomes that complement the work done by the Career Transition Partnership (CTP), but there still needs to be recognition that the needs of veterans do differ by age, transferability of competencies and the financial resources available. Research limitations/implications: The limitations of this research are the sample size is small and the majority of the veterans are from the Army. This is mostly because the Army is the largest of the services. Originality/value: Though there is limited research into the employment of veterans, there is evidence to demonstrate that veterans are more likely to suffer from depression and potential homelessness than nonservice personnel. This research is unique in investigating the role of a charity whose main purpose is to improve the employability of veterans by reducing the competency skills gap between the military and construction industry.
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- 2024
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4. Upskilling Trades for a Low Carbon Future: A Case Study of Gasfitting and Hydrogen
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Orana Sandri, Jan Hayes, and Sarah Holdsworth
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A global transition to low-carbon, resource-efficient economies is occurring in response to risks posed by climate change and environmental degradation. Hydrogen is proposed as a zero-carbon substitute for natural gas with the potential to reduce carbon emissions in homes and businesses. Trades, including gasfitting, will be affected by the transition to a low-carbon economy and require upskilling to develop competencies to work with hydrogen to ensure safety and support domestic uptake. Understanding the training needs of trades practitioners is essential to the successful transition to a zero-carbon economy. This paper presents findings from a qualitative study of Australian gasfitters, exploring what motivates gasfitters to participate in training, what informs their ongoing learning and what their preferences are for hydrogen training. Most gasfitters are either self-employed or work in small businesses, and, as such, this context presents both challenges and opportunities to consider in upskilling strategies. Drawing on interview findings and literature on small business learning, the paper presents considerations to inform training approaches and policies in the transition to hydrogen and also, more broadly, for upskilling other small trade businesses similarly affected by a shift to low-carbon and green technologies.
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- 2024
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5. Built Environment Professionals' Perspective on Digital Technology Skills
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Teslim Bamidele Balogun
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Purpose: This study aims to explore the opinions of Built Environment Professionals (BEP) on the usage of fourth-generation digital technologies in the construction industry. Design/methodology/approach: This study adopts a qualitative research approach and conducts semi-structured interviews with Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) professionals to explore the adoption and utilisation of fourth-generation digital technologies in the construction industry. The semi-structured interviews allowed the participants to elaborate on their experiences, and thematic analysis was employed to identify and analyse significant themes related to the topic. Findings: Accounts from BAME construction professionals reveal that the increased popularity of fourth-generation digital technologies, also known as Industry 4.0 technologies, does not necessarily result in increased usage. This is because many of these new technologies have not been embraced and are unpopular in certain circles. A more significant revelation is the impact of BAME community settings on determining the career pathways of most individuals, which often do not support the construction or digital technology pathways within the construction industry. Research limitations/implications: Research targeting ethnic minorities may not necessarily yield a large response due to the sensitivity of the issues raised. However, conducting a nationwide research with a larger sample size drawn from various locations in the UK could achieve more robust findings and uncover additional issues. Meanwhile, the results of this research can serve as a framework for more extensive investigations. Practical implications: The research offers valuable recommendations to industry and academia regarding the need to address the specific challenges faced by the BAME community in terms of digital technology adoption. These issues are often overlooked in most discussions about digital technology. Originality/value: The study provides critical recommendations that are relevant to Further and Higher Education (HE) institutions, industries, construction organisations, government bodies, etc. Recommendations include a call for collaboration between educational institutions, industry partners and local communities to facilitate awareness and orientation programmes within the community.
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- 2024
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6. A Skills Shortage: A 'Building' Challenge
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Proskurnik, Stephen
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The skilled trades have long been ignored and under-valued in society. This article explores the potential problem with maintaining the status quo and the impacts it will have on future generations. It considers the steps educational institutions and leaders can make in addressing the skilled trades shortage and how changes to the current graduation requirements in Manitoba can lead to greater career pathways for all students. The goal is to include skilled trades training in the conversation along with improving numeracy, literacy, and information technology across all grade levels.
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- 2022
7. Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Skilled Trades: Canada Emergency Response Benefit. Education, Learning and Training: Research Paper Series
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Statistics Canada, Su, Sophia, and Jin, Hyeongsuk
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Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, several unprecedented government interventions related to COVID-19--including the closure of non-essential businesses, travel restrictions and public health measures limiting public interactions--have been put in place. These measures, implemented by public health officials across Canada, had a clear impact on the Canadian labour market, as businesses and institutions in a variety of industries announced layoffs, reduced employment hours and halted many on-the-job opportunities. In response, to support Canadians facing the labour market impact of the COVID-19 economic shutdown, the Government of Canada introduced a temporary benefit, the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB). The CERB paid $500 a week to those who made at least $5,000 in the preceding 12 months and whose income was drastically reduced because of the pandemic. It was a temporary program introduced on March 15, 2020, and was replaced by Employment Insurance and other recovery benefits on September 27 of the same year. The COVID-19 pandemic had large impacts on many of those in the skilled trades, as these jobs often require hands-on and close-proximity interactions. However, journeypersons in different trades had different impacts. Some sectors deemed non-essential services were hit harder than sectors deemed essential services. In addition, geographic variations in easing and reinstating restrictions over time affected journeypersons and apprentices across regions differently. Using data from the Education and Labour Market Longitudinal Platform, this study examines the proportion of journeypersons who received the CERB among those who certified between 2008 and 2019. By examining the proportions across trades, geography and population groups, this study can provide further insight into how the early months of the pandemic affected those in the skilled trades and the differing impacts across trades and groups.
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- 2021
8. A Future Worth Building: What Tradeswomen Say about the Change They Need in the Construction Industry. IWPR #C508
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Institute for Women's Policy Research (IWPR), Hegewisch, Ariane, and Mefferd, Eve
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Careers in the construction trades can provide high earnings and good benefits, often through a learn-while-you-earn apprenticeship. In 2020, more than 300,000 women worked in the trades--the largest number ever. Yet while their numbers are growing, women still make up fewer than one in twenty of workers in construction occupations. This report draws on the voices and experiences of 2,635 tradeswomen and non-binary tradespeople who answered the 2021 Institute for Women's Policy Research (IWPR) Tradeswomen's Retention and Advancement Survey. The report discusses what factors help and hinder tradeswomen's advancement in the trades, describes what it is like to be a parent in the trades, and reports on the perspectives of women apprentices. The report highlights changes that are required to help the construction industry build and sustain a skilled workforce that reflects the population of the 21st century.
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- 2021
9. Influence of Cues on the Safety Hazard Recognition of Construction Workers during Safety Training: Evidence from an Eye-Tracking Experiment
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Fu, Hanliang, Xia, Zhongjing, Tan, Yubing, and Guo, Xiaotong
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Worldwide, construction site accidents cause many casualties among construction workers every year. Although many safety guidelines that construction workers are urged to read and keep in mind have been formulated, it is still difficult for the traditional construction safety education mode to quickly and accurately improve the hazard recognition ability of construction workers. Taking appropriate intervention measures in construction safety education helps improve the learning effectiveness of construction workers. Cue design is a teaching design included in digital learning resource design. Therefore, this study combines information processing learning theory with the expertise reversal effect. Eye movements of two groups, inclusive of experienced and novice workers, were monitored during a safety education mode using two different cues (i.e., visual and question cues). Average pupil diameter, time to first fixation, and recognition accuracy were used as indicators to measure the cognitive load and adaptation level and to test the outcome of all workers receiving safety education. The study results showed that (1) compared with question cues only, visual cues are more intuitive and more accessible for construction workers to understand; (2) experienced workers performed better than novice workers in all aspects of the safety education mode using two cues, and the work experience of the learning group plays an essential role in the cognitive load, adaptation level, and test outcome of workers in safety education; and (3) compared with the two cues, novice workers' ability improved more obviously after receiving the safety education mode with visual cues. In contrast, experienced workers' ability improved more obviously after receiving the safety education mode that uses question cues only, and this phenomenon is associated with expertise reversal effect in the field of education. This provides a meaningful suggestion for personalized intervention measures in safety education in the construction safety field in the future.
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- 2024
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10. Learning Course: Application of Gamification in Teaching Construction and Building Materials Subjects
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Reyes, Encarnación, Gálvez, Jaime C., and Enfedaque, Alejandro
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This paper presents the experience of a group of Construction and Building Materials lecturers following the introduction of a new contest-based gamification activity aimed at improving interest and learning outcomes in the course. Students' motivation is of key importance in utilizing educational activities for study and learning in the subject. Evaluation is essential and, therefore, the proposed action makes it possible to earn an extra point in the continuous evaluation that contributes to passing the subject. The outcomes obtained in the first academic year in which this learning contest was implemented allow us to conclude that the activity had positive effects on motivation and the learning process, as well as on the number of students passing the subject. The students' opinion about the activity was very positive.
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- 2021
11. Analysis of Engineering and Construction Students' Perceptions to Explore Gender Disparity
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Saeed Rokooei
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Gender disparity is an enduring problem in engineering and construction (EC) areas. The main purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of female students in EC programs in the US toward factors impacting their situations and investigate barriers to their academic and professional paths. A quantitative research method was used to measure the perception of participants. In the first phase of this project 369 students participated in a paper-based survey. The results emphasized the effect of role models, by engineering students. The results also highlighted several similarities and differences between male and female students in regard to factors impacting the selection of major and career, such as career characteristics, familiarity with the industry, expected growth, and discrimination that facilitate or impede women's presence in educational and professional positions.
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- 2023
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12. Development of Realistic and Emotional Virtual Reality for Construction Safety Training
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Karan Ravindra Patil
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The construction industry has struggled with a disappointing safety record, with workers often failing to identify hazards on construction sites. While virtual reality (VR) training has shown promise in improving hazard recognition skills, it is essential to address not only the ability to identify hazards but also the factors influencing workers' decision to report them. Research has revealed that workers often fail to recognize hazards when they perceive them as low-risk, leading to unreported hazards and persistent safety risks. Anticipatory emotions play a crucial role in driving risk aversion, but construction novices lack the emotional experiences necessary for developing such anticipatory emotions. Consequently, they may engage in careless and risk-friendly behavior. To address this issue, hazard recognition training should incorporate immersive and emotionally arousing VR experiences. This dissertation focuses on the development of emotionally arousing and realistic construction-specific simulations to assess their impact on construction novices. The research explores the aspects of a simulation that facilitate emotional arousal and identifies features that enhance the sense of presence for construction practitioners within a virtual construction environment. Subsequently, the developed VR experience is tested on construction novices. The results indicate that the VR experience, based on the findings of this research, effectively elicits significant arousal in participants, as evidenced by galvanic skin response (GSR) data. Thematic analysis of participant feedback further supports the physiological data, with participants reporting a realistic and emotional experience that immersed them in hazardous conditions on a construction site. Ultimately, this research contributes by identifying the crucial aspects necessary for developing construction-specific VR experiences that elicit arousal from participants, ensuring an immersive and emotionally engaging hazard recognition training. By incorporating such training methods, the construction industry can improve workers' hazard identification and reporting behaviors, thereby enhancing overall safety in construction sites. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
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- 2023
13. Breaking Ground: A First Look at American High School Skilled Trades Education
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JFF (Jobs for the Future) and Soricone, Lisa
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Our nation needs a baseline understanding of the current landscape of high school skilled trades education--and a road map of what could or should happen next--to build on the promise that trades education offers to meet both individual and societal needs. To understand the state of skilled trades education in America's high schools, Jobs for the Future (JFF) undertook a 50-state investigation, pursuing both quantitative and qualitative sources of information. Researchers reached out to career and technical education (CTE) directors in each state and the District of Columbia for phone interviews. In addition, they conducted 27 interviews with experts from trades- and CTE-related organizations and local programs to provide additional insights. In total, data was received from 38 states. Key findings include: (1) Trades education operates in a data desert with a few oases; (2) High school skilled trades education offers students high-value opportunities; (3) Despite these opportunities, trades education practitioners report negative perceptions among students, families, and counselors; (4) Most of the skilled trades education data that states collect are not used to improve programming or ensure that programs meet labor market needs; (5) To the degree the data reveal trends, they show a misalignment between student participation and labor market demand for skilled trades workers; (6) Trades education faces looming teacher shortages and significant funding constraints; and (7) These challenges stand in stark contrast to the exciting developments and renewed interest in CTE overall, as well as the innovations in skilled trades education that show how powerful these approaches can be. [This report was written with Pieta Blakely and Raymond Barbosa. The Smidt Foundation and its flagship program, Harbor Freight Tools for Schools, helped make this research possible.]
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- 2020
14. A Qualitative Inquiry into Students' Transformative Learning Experiences in Old Havana's Escuela Taller
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Gilblom, Elizabeth A. and Messemer, Jonathan E.
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This qualitative study employs transformative learning theory to investigate the learning experiences of 18 current students and graduates of Escuela Taller 'Gaspar de Melchor de Jovellanos' (ET) in Old Havana, Cuba. ET is a tuition-free, skilled-trades program that trains adult learners with limited economic resources and opportunities to conserve and restore cultural heritage, including historic structures, artwork and ironwork. The purpose of this study was to determine if and how participants transformed as a result of attending ET. Participants experienced professional and personal transformations that they attributed to learning a trade, learning how to collaborate, rediscovering their Cuban heritage, and participating in the restoration of Old Havana. The findings also underscore the significance of becoming cultural agents, who they define as individuals who experienced transformations from attending ET who support the transformations of others in their local communities by educating them about the significance and value of Cuban cultural heritage.
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- 2020
15. Program Coherence and Integration of School- and Work-Based Learning in the Icelandic Dual Vocational Education and Training (VET) System
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Eiríksdóttir, Elsa
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This study examines how recently graduated journeymen, vocational teachers, and workplace trainers view the integration between learning at school and at work in a dual vocational education and training (VET) system, and how these views might be influenced by the duration and the sequencing of school- and work-based learning periods. Research indicates that effective implementation of the dual VET system is contingent upon successful integration of learning experience at the two venues. Recent graduates, workplace trainers, and teachers in all 51 certified trades answered an electronic questionnaire (667 participants, response rate 24%). Factor analysis of responses to 22 statements resulted in the identification of five factors. Findings show that the learning venues were parallel rather than integrated. Communication and collaboration between teachers and workplace trainers were limited and recent graduates, in particular, did not experience the program as a coherent whole. The results also showed important variations in the perspectives of the three groups of participants. The duration of the workplace learning period was not found to be associated with perceptions of program integration. Some limited effects of sequencing were found, but no clear pattern emerged. This study adds to knowledge on learning and integration, and indicates possible ways of improving program coherence and integration in a dual VET system.
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- 2020
16. Stories of Learning: A Case Study of Norwegian Plumbers and Apprentices in TVET at the Construction Site and in a Training Agency
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Lensjø, Marit
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Context: Through a dual model, based on 2 years of education in upper secondary school followed by two and a half year of apprenticeship training, Norwegian plumbing education has become an integrated part of the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET). Competence and skills are described in national plumbing curriculum. However, there is little information on how learning and training, interaction and relations between craftsmen and apprentices take place and develops at the workplace. The objective of this article is to identify significant learning processes by studying apprentices in a training agency and in communities of plumbers at the building site. Approach: The study has an ethnographic approach, based on a combination of fieldwork and interviews with apprentices, plumbers and a vocational teacher. During one year of fieldwork I followed a group of plumbing apprentices in a training agency, and in their plumbing companies at different construction sites. As a former plumber and vocational teacher, I was able to participate as a plumber and researcher and thus I had a unique position to work along with the apprentices and plumbers. This enabled me to observe interaction, learning and training in their communities of practices as an "insider." Findings: The study showed that the process of learning practical skills, a professional language and a technical rationale was time consuming, challenging and sometimes tiering. In return the apprentices discovered proficiency, gained confidence and were considered as participants in the community of plumbers. A central finding is the great value of working in a community of plumbers at the building site, combined by studying sanitary and heating technology at the training agency. Among peers at the training agency, the apprentices were challenged to build and explore complex pipe laying, and to discuss technical regulations and rationale with each other and the vocational teacher. Conclusion: Craftsmen, like plumbers, consecutively handle a variety of technical work tasks and situations. "Inside" practice, the plumbers are close to materials and systems on construction site, where pipes, cableways and building structures looks different from the plan and the progress on paper. As experts, the plumbers often solve problems more functional and cost effective than suggested in the blueprint. The study shows how apprentices and plumbers develop skills, tacit knowledge and professionality through involvement with relevant "things" and "situations," and by sharing experiences and technical expertise in communities of peers and plumbers.
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- 2020
17. Apprentice and Trainee Experience and Destinations - 2008, 2010 and 2019. Australian Vocational Education and Training Statistics
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National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) (Australia)
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This publication summarises the outcomes of apprentices and trainees who completed (completers) or cancelled or withdrew (non-completers) from an apprenticeship or traineeship. The figures are derived from the 2008, 2010 and 2019 Apprentice and Trainee Experience and Destination Surveys. Information is presented on apprentices' and trainees' reasons for training, their employment outcomes, reasons for non-completion, further study outcomes and satisfaction with the apprenticeship or traineeship.
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- 2020
18. Traditional Trade Apprenticeships: Experiences and Outcomes. Research Report
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National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) (Australia), Misko, Josie, Gu, Zhaoyi, and Circelli, Michelle
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The apprenticeship model of work-based training is often held up as an effective mechanism for enabling individuals to learn specific skills and subsequently transition to employment in a skilled occupation. Over time, technological, regulatory and social changes have affected the training of apprentices. It is in this context that the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) undertook a three-phase study to investigate the demand for traditional trade apprentices and determine whether the training they receive meets current needs. This final component of the project draws primarily on findings from the 2019 Apprentice and Trainee Experience and Destinations Survey to examine the experiences of the traditional trade apprentices themselves. It looks at the experiences of the traditional trade apprentice and in doing so focuses primarily on findings from the 2019 Apprentice and Trainee Experience and Destinations Survey, with data from the 2010 survey included, where relevant, to examine changes over time. The survey allows the authors to investigate the experiences and outcomes of apprentices who did and those who did not complete their traditional trade apprenticeship. [For "Apprentice and Trainee Experience and Destinations - 2008, 2010 and 2019. Australian Vocational Education and Training Statistics," see ED606121.]
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- 2020
19. Traditional Trade Apprenticeships: Learnings from the Field. Research Report
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National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) (Australia), Misko, Josie, and Wibrow, Bridget
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A companion to "Traditional Trade Apprenticeships: Training Activity, Employer Incentives and International Practice," this report collates qualitative material from in-depth interviews and focus groups with employers, trainers, apprentices and relevant government officials describing what is effective, what is not, and what needs improvement in apprenticeship training. The research finds that the current combination of off- and on-the-job training is, on the whole, working effectively and should continue to play a key role in apprenticeship training for the traditional trades. Both forms of training are required if apprentices are to develop the technical skills, underpinning knowledge, attributes and behaviours required for their trades. Nevertheless, research identified a number of challenges in ensuring that this combination continues to operate well. Recommendations for improvement were offered, of which many were similar or the same, while other issues were less common, although all aimed at ensuring that the system works effectively and efficiently for all involved. [For "Traditional Trade Apprenticeships: Training Activity, Employer Incentives and International Practice. Research Report," see ED604022. Funding provided through the Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment.]
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- 2020
20. Traditional Trade Apprenticeships: Training Activity, Employer Incentives and International Practice. Research Report
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National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) (Australia) and Misko, Josie
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This report is the first component of a larger study investigating training practices relating to traditional trade apprenticeships, with a view to developing policy directions on how to maintain their relevance and usefulness. This first phase of the study explores data on trends in training activity and completions, provides details on the application of incentives, and highlights international apprenticeship models and practice, as identified in the relevant literature. An examination of government incentives for employers of apprentices in the traditional trades indicates that despite the numerous changes to the overall apprenticeship incentives scheme they have remained relatively stable. This is primarily because the traditional trades are aligned to the skill shortages identified in the National Skills Needs List. However, the value of the base incentives for the traditional trades has, in real terms, declined since 2012. Research identified some important lessons that Australia could glean from the dual systems of apprenticeship operating in Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Denmark and Austria. These lessons include the need for: better synchronisation of knowledge acquisition and skills development in off-the-job and on-the-job training venues; higher levels of prescription and expectations about the nature and level of the qualifications required of teachers and trainers; regular monitoring of the market for apprenticeship training positions; and industry involvement in practical assessments. [For "Traditional Trade Apprenticeships: Learnings from the Field. Research Report," see ED604023. Funding was provided through the Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment.]
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- 2020
21. Expanding Tech Apprenticeships in New York City
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Center for an Urban Future, Messina, Judith, and Dvorkin, Eli
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New York City is home to nearly 100 apprenticeship programs today, but the vast majority of them--93 percent--are in the building trades and manufacturing. As the demand for tech talent surges, the city has an enormous opportunity to leverage this powerful training model to expand pathways into technology careers. Arguably the most powerful tool for connecting people with limited technical skills and formal education to the training needed to succeed on the job, apprenticeship is ideally suited to New York City's growing tech workforce. The sector is growing faster and creating more good jobs than any other part of New York City's economy, adding more than 46,000 well-paying jobs over the past decade. Meanwhile, both tech companies and non-tech employers face large and growing tech talent needs, including a more stable pipeline of entry-level workers for middle-skills jobs. But even as the demand for tech talent grows, Black and Latinx New Yorkers as well as women remain significantly underrepresented in tech occupations. Tech apprenticeships present an important opportunity to change that, providing a proven model for launching underrepresented talent into successful careers. There are understandable reasons why relatively few tech apprenticeships have gotten off the ground--from limited awareness of the model among tech employers and skepticism that a cumbersome state registration process can adapt to a fast-changing sector to concerns that the city's large number of smaller start-ups lack the bandwidth to expand from core human resources (HR) duties into apprenticeship development. But as detailed in this report, it is eminently possible to overcome these barriers and significantly expand tech apprenticeships in New York. Doing so will require support from city and state economic development officials as well as leadership from the city's tech employers. This report lays out several steps to realize the promise of tech apprenticeships in New York. [This report was made possible through support from Barclays.]
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- 2019
22. Skilling Up: The Scope of Modern Apprenticeship
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Urban Institute, Dimeny, Ervin, Williamson, Deborah, Yates, Lisa, Hinson, David, Dimeny, Ervin, Williamson, Deborah, Yates, Lisa, Hinson, David, and Urban Institute
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The apprenticeship movement is reshaping skills, policies, and programs in the United States at a critical moment in our country's history. This reader offers a chorus of voices emanating from different countries and populations, echoing commitment to bright, sustainable workforce futures through a well-crafted approach to this talent development model. The collected chapters and vignettes address questions for businesses of all sizes, community-based organizations, and schools looking for a way to build strong pipelines of skilled labor, stimulate economies in struggling regions, provide options for adults seeking career changes, and stimulate engagement for students filled with curiosity about the promise of work-based learning. We endeavored to shatter myths, remove barriers, and erase fears of attempting apprenticeship, particularly for small and medium-size businesses and parents who are naturally concerned about meaningful and gainful career choices for their children. This reader intends to show the possibilities modern apprenticeship affords contemporary societies and to inspire many to reframe the boundaries of traditional thinking. [This report was co-published by the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet.]
- Published
- 2019
23. The Perception of Engineers by Middle School Students through Drawings
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Ergun, Aysegul and Balcin, Muhammed Dogukan
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Purpose: In 2017 and 2018, engineering applications and design process were given weight to with the updates carried out in the Physical Sciences Lesson Curriculum in Turkey. For the STEM education which is at the center of this update to reach its target, it is highly important that students accurately learn what engineers do, what their work field is, the characteristics they should carry and understand the nature of engineering. The present study aims to identify the perception of engineers of 5th, 6th and 7th grade middle school students through drawings. Research Methods: The study group of this research which is a descriptive survey model consisted of 119 students from a city located in the East Anatolian region of Turkey who were 5th, 6th and 7th grade students. The "Draw an Engineer" form was used as the data collection tool and the drawings were evaluated with a checklist. Findings: As a result of this study, it was determined that a majority of the students adopted the stereotyped idea that engineers are male. The findings showed that as the age increased, the rate of male engineers in the drawings increased as well and engineers creating designs were given more place to. In this study, it was concluded that in general the students mixed up what engineers do with the work construction workers or repairmen do and that they perceived engineers as individuals who work alone. Implications for Research and Practice: To be able to develop students' perception of engineers in a positive manner, it is considered important for students' to experience STEM education applications. In this context, it is suggested to give place to 'Science, Engineering and Entrepreneurship Applications' in all grade levels both in school and outside school learning environments. [Paper presented at the International Congress on Science and Education organized in Afyonkarahisar on 23-25 March, 2018.]
- Published
- 2019
24. VET for Secondary School Students: Acquiring an Array of Technical and Non-Technical Skills -- Support Document
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National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) (Australia), Ackehurst, Maree, Polvere, Rose-Anne, and Erzinger, Tania
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This supporting document sets out the content analysis technique and detailed findings that underly part of the research conducted for the report titled "VET for secondary school students: acquiring an array of technical and non-technical skills." That report is the first in a set of studies that aims to understand the value of vocational education and training (VET) delivered to secondary school students. This supporting document reflects the detailed investigation of the extent to which training packages assist VET for secondary school students in the development of non-technical or generic skills. In this support document the authors provide detailed information on the findings of the content analysis technique they used to investigate the non-technical skills covered in selected training packages and Australian curriculum units reported on in the main report on "VET for secondary school students: acquiring an array of technical and non-technical skills." They describe the aims, method and processes for conducting the 'content analysis' and present the Skills Terminology Guide used to provide direction for the collection of the data. Also included are detailed findings of the content analysis of each of the training package qualifications investigated, the case studies of Certificate III in Carpentry and Joinery, and Certificate IV and Diploma and Advanced Diploma in Engineering. [For the full research report "VET for Secondary School Students: Acquiring an Array of Technical and Non-Technical Skills. Research Report," see ED594428.]
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- 2019
25. VET for Secondary School Students: Acquiring an Array of Technical and Non-Technical Skills. Research Report
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National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) (Australia), Misko, Josie, Ackehurst, Maree, Polvere, Rose-Anne, Erzinger, Tania, and Korbel, Patrick
- Abstract
The role of vocational education and training (VET) in preparing secondary school students for employment, further training and the changing world of work has long been a topic of interest among employers, educationalists and policymakers. More recent attention has also been on VET's role in assisting in the development of non-technical skills (for example, employability skills), with employer groups vocal about the need for potential employees possessing these skills. This study is one part of a larger program of research investigating whether VET programs delivered to secondary students add value to their post-school destinations. In this report, the authors explore whether VET undertaken by secondary students, and in some cases by post-school students, equips them with the skills (including the non-technical skills) required to successfully participate in an ever-changing world of work. To do this, the authors analysed the VET programs of secondary students over the last 20 years, focusing on the number and types of programs undertaken and the characteristics of the participating students. They also undertook a content analysis of the core units of qualifications in selected training packages to identify whether these facilitate the development of non-technical skills. Data on the numbers of secondary school students in these programs from 2003 onwards have been provided to the National VET in Schools Collection by the jurisdictional boards of studies, and these form the underlying data used in this report. Due to definitional issues and reporting pathways, these data are likely to underestimate the total number of secondary school students undertaking VET programs. [For the supporting document to this report, "VET for Secondary School Students: Acquiring an Array of Technical and Non-Technical Skills -- Support Document," see ED594430.]
- Published
- 2019
26. Soda Consumption among Mexican Construction Workers in the Context of the Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax
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Álvarez-Sánchez, Cristina, Guillén, Héctor, Contento, Isobel R., Koch, Pamela, and Théodore, Florence L.
- Abstract
This study explored the psychosocial determinants of consumption of soda and other taxed sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) in Mexican construction workers (CWs) and whether consumption changed as a result of the 2014 SSB tax. We conducted a qualitative case study involving in-depth interviews and focus groups (FGs) with 30 Mexican CWs; supplemented with descriptions of the food and beverages consumed during lunch breaks. We used NVivo 10 to classify information according to the analysis categories, primarily informed by the Reasoned Action Approach (RAA). CWs reported not having changed their consumption of soda and other taxed SSBs as a result of the SSB tax, despite the price increase and "knowing" the potential negative consequences of soda drinking. The most important determinants of soda consumption are a deep-seated social norm of soda drinking and use of soda drinking as part of their professional identity; their likeness for soda; a wide availability of soda in their environments; and a low perceived behavioral control (because they thought themselves as addicted to it). Participants indicated that the best way for them not to consume soda would be if it were not available. These findings lend support for the tight regulation of the availability of SSBs. To have a meaningful impact on these consumers, the SSB tax may need to be much higher. Policy-level interventions should be coupled with interventions at the individual and community levels that aim at denormalizing soda consumption, create new meanings in relation to water consumption, and develop behavioral control to decrease soda consumption.
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- 2022
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27. (Mis)match between Higher Education Supply and Labour Market Needs: Evidence from Portugal
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Olo, Daniela, Correia, Leonida, and Rego, Maria da Conceição
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Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyse whether there is an adjustment between the Portuguese higher education supply and the needs of the labour market. Design/methodology/approach: An empirical study is performed, using a quantitative approach, relating the job offers for graduates registered at the employment centres and the number of graduates by higher education institutions (HEIs) in Portugal, at an aggregate level and NUT II regions, by areas of education and training, over the 2003-2018 period. To understand how job offers and graduates are correlated, bilateral Spearman's rank correlation coefficients were calculated. Findings: The results show that, in large groups of educational areas, exists a match between the higher education supply and the labour market needs, with an emphasis on the fields of "social sciences, business and law", "engineering, manufacturing and construction" and "health and welfare". However, at a more disaggregated level, a mismatch in the sub-areas of "teacher training and education science" and "computing" was found since labour market needs are much greater than graduates by HEIs and the two variables are moving in opposite directions. Practical implications: The study has revealed important aspects that the educational policy should take into account in order to create the conditions for a gradual adjustment to the labour market needs. Also, the results demonstrate that some measures should be taken in short/medium term to avoid problems in the medium/long term. Originality/value: One implication of this empirical study was the elaboration of a correspondence table to standardise the data analysis units from two different sources. As this correspondence did not exist prior to this study, this output is a relevant contribution to the research field. Another important contribution is the demonstration of a mismatch in some educational sub-areas that deserves special attention from educational policymakers.
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- 2022
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28. Exploring the Inclusion of Structural Masonry in Higher Education, South Africa
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Bonga Khuzwayo and Wolfgang Bernhardt
- Abstract
This study explores the incorporation of structural masonry into the undergraduate programmes of higher education institutions in South Africa, specifically focusing on civil engineering. This study is of an exploratory nature. A significant portion of the urban infrastructure in South Africa is predominantly built using structural masonry. Structural masonry is a building method in which the walls of a building or any masonry component, such as a masonry beam or a masonry column, serve a structural purpose. Unfortunately, many higher education programmes that train civil engineers, technologists, and technicians do not adequately address aspects of structural masonry design, detailing, and construction. Hence, it is imperative to address this deficiency throughout the industry in order to enable masonry designers, such as structural engineers, to adhere to the requirements of the National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act 103 of 1977. Ensuring compliance is crucial for protecting the well-being and security of the general population. The researchers collected and examined data through content analysis and verified it with the civil engineering departments of higher education institutions. While civil engineering can be pursued at various traditional universities and universities of technology, only two have confirmed that they offer a fair portion of structural masonry in their undergraduate curricula. The researchers consider this a significant issue because it is critical for civil engineers and technologists to have a thorough understanding of structural masonry. This study is the first in South Africa to propose and support structural masonry education in undergraduate programmes, including design, detailing, and construction.
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- 2022
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29. Why Australian Female High School Students Do Not Choose Construction as a Career: A Qualitative Investigation into Value Beliefs about the Construction Industry
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Carnemolla, Phillippa and Galea, Natalie
- Abstract
Background: The construction industry remains male dominated, despite the efforts of business and educational institutions to attract women into construction careers. Previous research has examined why female university students study construction management or engineering. To complement this knowledge, there is an opportunity to understand why so many Australian female high school students do not choose to pursue construction-related careers. Purpose: Framed in motivational theory, the purpose of the study was to understand why Australian female high school students do not choose a construction-related career by answering the question: How do the value beliefs of female high school students contribute to a rejection of the construction sector as a career choice? Design/method: Applying a qualitative methodology, we report on semistructured interviews with a sample of 15 Australian female high school students. Interview transcripts were inductively analyzed to reveal themes that were overlaid onto Eccles' expectancy-value theory to deepen our understanding of the values expressed by students when discussing their reasons for not wanting a career in construction. Results: Results revealed five themes--lack of awareness; lack of self-alignment; effect of male domination; sector esteem; and parental, teacher, and curriculum influence. Responses revealed the range of values contributing to the decision not to consider the construction industry. Conclusion: The paper concludes by suggesting that to increase the participation of young women in the Australian construction industry, the sector should respond to the value beliefs held by female high school students. It should transform the perception of construction into one of a profession that is relevant, valuable, and enjoyable for young women.
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- 2021
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30. Who Is Going to Build the Wall? A Building Trades Crisis in the U.S.A.
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Toppin, Ian
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The context of this study was to examine factors contributing to significant workforce shortages in building trades in the United States. As it is, recruitment of qualified skilled trades workers is becoming increasingly difficult due to lack of a pipeline of prospective workers, and training programs. The study assumed a theoretical inquiry approach in order to address the following three main questions: (1) What is the scope of the workforce shortage in skilled and building trades in the US? (2) What factors are recognized as contributors to the building trades workforce shortage in the US? And, (3) What strategies can be implemented to reverse building trades workforce shortages in the US? Findings affirmed that the scope of workforce shortages in skilled and building (construction) trades in the US is very broad and the impact is rather deep. Factors contributing to the shortage include: declines in high school technical education programs, which have been replaced by career academies; misconception that higher education always equal higher income, but the untold story is higher debt associated with pursuing higher education; and stricter immigration laws, which are forcing potential workers out of the US. The study concluded that in order to reverse currently declining workforce trends the following six strategies should be implemented: (1) Make it a national priority, thereby appropriating adequate resources to the effort. (2) Increase the number or women and African Americans in building trades. (3) Expand apprenticeship programs. An expansion of both government and corporate incentives are needed to stimulate an increase in apprenticeships. (4) Reintroduce building and skilled trades programs in secondary and postsecondary schools. Growth in the number of Career Academies, and participation in them has been encouraging, yet there are not enough of them to meet the need. (5) Re-examine guest-worker programs, which are currently cumbersome for employers to participate in, and do not allow for anywhere close to the number of workers needed to meet workforce needs. (6) Change marketing of building trades from menial to meaningful. Many young people simply do not know that they can make a comfortable living from a career in skilled trades. They have been taught that at least a bachelor's degree is needed in order to have a successful career. This narrative has to be revised in order to create a pipeline of prospective skilled trades employees for the future.
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- 2018
31. Does the Introduction of Learning Management Systems in Vocational Education and Training Affect Learning? A Norwegian Experience
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Witsø, Hilde
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Recently, learning management systems have been introduced in the Norwegian school system, including vocational schools. Some vocational teachers have been sceptical about using learning management systems in vocational education and training. This study examined if the vocational teachers' use of a learning management system facilitated the students' opportunities to prepare for the tasks that will be part of their future as an apprentice. The research question was How does the introduction of learning management systems in vocational education and training affect learning? In vocational education and training, the transfer of tacit knowledge from master to apprentice has traditionally played an important role in the teaching. This transference of knowledge takes place in a face-to-face setting and in an interaction between master and apprentice which is based on acting, showing, explaining, and commenting. Documentation requirements through learning management systems appear to strengthen the vocational students' understanding of work tasks they will encounter as apprentices in the workplace. Learning management systems allows for the transference of tacit knowledge, and the documentation also appear to strengthen the communication between students and teacher.
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- 2018
32. Skills for Employment: What Are the Most Useful Skills Post-Secondary Students Acquire? Fact Sheet
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BC Student Outcomes (Canada)
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The Student Outcomes surveys include a series of questions that focus on the specific skills acquired by former students. Many of the skills are employability skills. The former students who responded to the Student Outcomes surveys were very likely to say their institutions helped them develop skills and that those skills were useful for employment. The skills that were rated highest varied by credential type, with the variation reflecting the focus of the studies. Respondents from apprenticeship programs gave their highest ratings to the skills most useful to performing trades occupations: using tools and equipment and using mathematics. Respondents from baccalaureate programs focused more on their academic experience, and gave their highest ratings to the abilities to analyse and think critically and learn independently. The respondents who graduated from diploma and certificate programs gave high ratings to most of the skills, but the abilities to read and comprehend materials (appropriate to the field of study) and to work effectively with others were at the top. This reflects the focus of most diploma and certificate studies, which is to prepare students for work in a specific field. Data from these findings are presented in this fact sheet. [Information for this fact sheet came from the 2015 Apprenticeship Student Outcomes Survey; the 2015 Baccalaureate Graduates Survey; and the 2015 Diploma, Associate Degree, and Certificate Student Outcomes Survey. The BC Student Outcomes surveys are conducted with funding from the Ministry of Advanced Education, the participating British Columbia postsecondary institutions, and the Industry Training Authority.]
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- 2018
33. College Readiness Report 2018
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Indiana Commission for Higher Education
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The Indiana Commission for Higher Education's College Readiness Reports are designed to provide information on students entering college. The reports encompass the first year of college for students who graduated from high school during the previous academic year, and the College Readiness dashboard provides a closer look at longer-term outcomes such as early college success and completion. Key takeaways from this report include the following: (1) High school courses matter; (2) More students are earning college credit in high school; (3) College is not just about bachelor's degrees; (4) Fewer students need remediation; (5) Racial and ethnic gaps remain; (6) 21st Century Scholars are completing more credits; and (7) More detailed information is available online. [For the previous year's report, see ED607748.]
- Published
- 2018
34. Who Is Going to Build the Wall? A Building Trades Crisis in the U.S.A.
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Toppin, Ian N.
- Abstract
A significant workforce shortage exists in most skilled trades areas in the U.S., but this is especially true in building and construction trades. The number of jobs in the construction industry is expected to grow by almost 20% between 2008 to 2018, while only growing by 11% for all other industries. With the prospect of significant shortages in the building trades, coupled with stronger border security and stiffer immigration enforcement, the question begs to be asked, who is going to build the wall politicians are calling for on the border between the U.S. and Mexico?
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- 2017
35. Dual Credit Programs: Exploring Dual Credit Student Transition and Post-Secondary Academic Success
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British Columbia Council on Admissions and Transfer (BCCAT) (Canada), Drover-Davidson, Cindy, Betts, Kelly, Bennett, Michael, and Hodgson, Dan
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This study examined the transition and post-secondary achievement of the dual credit (DC) students in the South Island Partnership (SIP). The SIP is a partnership of Camosun College and five school districts located in the South of Vancouver Island, BC. The SIP DC options include Trades programs, Trades exploration courses, and courses in Arts and Sciences. This study explored SIP DC student enrolment, achievement, and transition over ten academic years from 2005 to 2015. The analysis of student transitions within and beyond the SIP was possible through the use of four datasets: SIP data, Camosun College data, Student Transitions Project (STP) mobility data, and Industry Training Authority (ITA) numbers of student enrolment and achievement. During the ten-year period, 3,583 secondary students participated in the SIP DC options. The SIP grew significantly over ten years: from 80 students in three programs in 2003, to about 1,000 students in over forty different program and course areas in the 2014-2015 academic year. Results suggest high retention rates post-DC at the originating institution. Another finding that could be helpful for enrolment management planning was that DC students typically transitioned to the same post-secondary areas of study that they were involved in for their DC program. For example, 86% of Automotive students who returned to Camosun participated in further Trades education. The report concludes with a number of considerations for doing similar studies at other institutions in the province.
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- 2017
36. Restrictive and Expansive Participation in Companies' Activities: A Case Study of Bricklaying and Automation Technology Apprentices in Switzerland
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Felder, Alexandra, Duemmler, Kerstin, and Caprani, Isabelle
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Based on qualitative research on and automation technology apprentices in Switzerland, this paper examines apprentices' experiences of participating in their company's production activities and becoming members of their community of practice, and the influence of these experiences on the development of their occupational identity. Participation in activity and training is organised in various ways in different training companies, and expansive-restrictive participation models help in understanding the importance of workplace learning for apprentices' training experience and the development of their occupational identity. The results show that in learning situations characterised by expansive participation, apprentices have substantial responsibility and autonomy throughout their apprenticeship, together with guidance adapted to their needs. Apprentices are highly self-confident and adopt agentic actions aimed at increasing the variety and complexity of tasks and their own autonomy. In restrictive participation, in contrast, apprentices are often poorly integrated into the community of practice and feel devalued as aspiring professionals. These apprentices primarily develop agentic actions to improve their participation in company activities and their apprenticeship, but they are largely unable to develop their skills or become independent in performing complex tasks, and they are limited in their ability to construct a vocational identity.
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- 2021
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37. Occupational Safety and Health Education in Post-Secondary Career and Technical Education Construction Programs
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Rauscher, Kimberly, Bush, Diane, Chang, Charlotte, and Myers, Douglas
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Construction is one of the most dangerous industries in the US. Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs are important settings in which new construction workers can learn about Occupational Safety and Health (OSH). CTE programs are sometimes the only place where these workers will encounter such training. We set out to examine the quality of OSH education received by students in post-secondary CTE construction programs by conducting a survey of instructors teaching in these programs across the country. The goal was to learn the extent to which previously identified "essential elements necessary for providing effective safety and health 'education'" are spread across these programs. Our findings show instructors in these programs prioritize hands-on training, make efforts to stay current in best practices in safety and health, and regularly update their curricula. We also found that instructors need more training on effectively teaching safety and health to more meaningfully integrate such content into their trade skill courses. Finally, we found that instructors need to better model effective safety and health management systems within their classrooms to help keep students safe and set "students'" expectations for safe work when they enter their chosen trade.
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- 2020
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38. Evaluation of Hybrid Learning in a Construction Engineering Context: A Mixed-Method Approach
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Karabulut-Ilgu, Aliye and Jahren, Charles
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Engineering educators call for a widespread implementation of hybrid learning to respond to rapidly changing demands of the 21st century. In response to this call, a junior-level course in the Construction Engineering program entitled Construction Equipment and Heavy Construction Methods was converted into a hybrid learning model. The overarching goal in the hybrid course development was to take the content that can be engaged outside the class to an online platform so that class time can be used more efficiently for authentic and realistic open-ended problems included in-class and homework assignments. This study reports the design, development, and evaluation of this hybrid course and provides practical implications for hybrid course development.
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- 2016
39. Performance of Higher National Diploma of Building Technology Graduates in the Construction Industry: A Tracer Study in Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana
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Awere, E., Edu-Buandoh, K. B. M., Dadzie, D. K., and Aboagye, J. A.
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Building Technology graduates from Ghanaian Polytechnics seek employment in the construction industry, yet little information is known as to whether their tertiary education is really related to and meeting the actual needs of their prospective employers in the construction industry. The tracer study was conducted to ascertain the performance of Higher National Diploma (HND) Building Technology graduates and the extent to which their academic training meets the employers' needs in the construction industry. In order to obtain a good assessment of the skills (technical and non-technical) and competencies of Polytechnic HND building Technology graduates, purposive sampling technique was used. Construction firms with Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing classification of D3K3 and above who have been in operation for a minimum of one year and have employed Polytechnic HND Building Technology graduates were identified. Out of the firms identified, thirty-five (35) were selected using simple random sampling technique. A Structured questionnaire was designed and distributed to site engineers, site supervisors, quantity surveyors, operation managers and project managers in the selected construction firms. Descriptive statistic was used to analyse the data using. The study revealed that Polytechnic HND graduates in the construction industry were performing creditably since the index of performance of site supervisors, quantity surveyors and site managers were generally above average. Apart from the academic competence, graduates possessed non-academic attributes which the employers emphasized as criteria for graduates' employability and performance in the construction industry. These attributes included verbal communication, teamwork, time management, commitment and interpersonal skills.
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- 2016
40. Firms' Motivation for Training Apprentices: An Australian-German Comparison. Occasional Paper
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National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) (Australia) and Pfeifer, Harald
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This study investigated how firms in Germany and Australia compare when dealing with the institutional arrangements for apprenticeship training in their countries, with particular attention given to factors which may impact on their training motivation. Apprenticeships are a well-established pathway to employment across many countries, with a particularly long and enduring history in Germany and Australia. Apprenticeships are characterised by a tripartite relationship between employer, apprentice, and training organisation. The available international literature suggests that the institutional framework for training in a country is an important determinant of a firm's motivation to provide training, and it influences their willingness to bear (at least part) of the training costs. Key messages from this study are: (1) Employers of trades' apprentices in both Germany and Australia appear to bear substantial costs for training their apprentices; (2) Institutional frameworks in Germany foster an investment model, a model which emphasises the benefits of employing apprentices after training, while in Australia some firms adopt more of a production (that is, substitution for "regular" workers) model of apprenticeship training, although there is a relatively strong investment motivation for trade firms in Australia; (3) For firms focused on the short-term costs and benefits of training, the withdrawal of some national government incentive payments in Australia has led to a weaker commitment to training, most evident in non-trade trainee places being offered; and (4) By contrast, firms training in trade occupations appear to be more investment-oriented and are more inclined to continue training, or employ an apprentice after training, even with the withdrawal of incentives. Tables and figures are appended.
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- 2016
41. Construction Waste Reduction Awareness: Action Research
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Omeje, Hyginus Osita, Okereke, Godwin Keres, and Chukwu, Daniel Uchenna
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The study focused on construction waste reduction awareness as a step within Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The method of collaborative action research was used with a questionnaire as an instrument. Data collected from 61 participants were analyzed using descriptive statistics (percentage, mean, and t-test) and multiple regressions. Results revealed that there were graduates of different degree levels and non-graduates working at the construction sites, where 4.9% and 27.9% had PhD and Master degrees, respectively. Improper material storage was agreed to be the main cause of construction waste, while the most effective reduction measure was applying source reduction through the calculated procurement. Multiple regressions revealed that awareness was significantly positively predicted by gender, qualification and status. However, both cause and reduction of construction waste were noted to be human related, thereby necessitating a campaign against construction waste at various sites, with the aim of raising motivated and inspired change agents.
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- 2020
42. Multiple Job Holding, Societal Change, and Individual Careers: Contributions to the Chaos Theory of Careers
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Järvensivu, Anu and Pulkki, Jutta
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The chaos theory of careers was applied to identify the connections between multiple jobholders' careers and societal change. Multiple job holding is a form of employment that consists of two or more overlapping jobs. Six interviews with men born in the 1960s in Finnish North Karelia, whose multiple job holding included agricultural and forestry work, were analyzed. Our results showed that multiple job holding career development has societal connections and that the experiences of multiple job holding varied across individuals. Moreover, multiple job holding experiences and further career development endeavors were influenced by whether the multiple job holding career developed in line with or counter to societal changes. The study contributes to the chaos theory of careers by showing that self-similar fractal shapes can be identified both in individual careers and in societal changes by studying connective metaphors.
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- 2020
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43. Public-Private Partnerships for Skills Development: A Governance Perspective. Volume II. Case Studies
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European Training Foundation (ETF) (Italy), van der Meer, Marc, Arribas, J. Manuel Galvin, Petherbridge, Robert, Pastore, Lavinia, Corvo, Luigi, and Avagyan, Aram
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"Public-Private Partnerships for Skills Development" discusses the concept of public-private partnership (PPP) and its application in the domain of skills development. Volume I proposes a three-dimension typology of PPPs for skills development, and identifies common elements and governance characteristics of these PPPs. Volume II contains the 23 case studies described and reviewed according to the analytical categories of the European Training Foundation's (ETF) study methodology. Chapter 1 presents 10 cases coming from countries that have a long tradition of public-private cooperation in vocational education and skills development: Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Israel, France, Sweden, Germany, Morocco, Australia, and Belgium. Chapter 2 presents 13 cases coming from four countries that are now in the process of building a tradition of public-private cooperation in vocational education: Jordan, Kazakhstan, Serbia, and Ukraine. [For "Public-Private Partnerships for Skills Development: A Governance Perspective. Volume I. Thematic Overview," see ED610845.]
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- 2020
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44. Using Talanoa to Develop Bilingual Word Lists of Technical Vocabulary in the Trades
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Coxhead, Averil, Parkinson, Jean, and Tu'amoheloa, Falakiko
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It is important for anyone entering a profession to learn their profession's specialised language. This is also true of those learning trades such as automotive technology or plumbing. Knowledge of specialised language allows trades professionals to speak to other professionals and read technical material. Although this technical language is new to all students, learning it is harder for students learning in a second language. In this article we provide support for this learning for students from the Pacific Island nation of Tonga, who are studying a trade in English either in Tonga or abroad. In prior work we developed technical word lists in four trades, identifying the technical vocabulary in a 1.6 million-word corpus of course material. In this article, we extend that research by developing bilingual English-Tongan word lists, using culturally appropriate Talanoa methodology to draw on the specialist knowledge of Tongan-speaking trades' professionals. Translation revealed that numerous technical words do not have a direct translation in Tongan, particularly infrequent English words. It also revealed words with a clear Tongan equivalent, and Tonganised English words. The bilingual word lists will benefit Tongan trades' trainees in Tonga and those who are migrants to English countries.
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- 2020
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45. Opening Doors to Apprenticeship for English Language Learners
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Mollica, Jennie
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Employers and labor organizations in the United States use apprenticeships to provide workers with technical education and paid on-the-job training leading to wage increases and higher-skilled jobs. When English learners participate in apprenticeships, employers benefit from an expanded pipeline of qualified employees and a more diverse workforce, and immigrant workers gain the qualifications and experience they need to realize their potential at work. This research study involved 66 interviews with ESL instructors, program staff, and thought leaders to learn to what extent English learners are participating in apprenticeships, what are the key elements of apprenticeships serving English learners, and what will be needed to sustain and scale apprenticeships equitably. Findings suggest that adult education providers have the tools to support ESL students' successful participation in apprenticeships, and that additional guidance and alignment of public and private resources will be needed to sustain and scale a more inclusive apprenticeship model.
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- 2020
46. Constructing Construction Careers: The Case for the Building Trades
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Callanan, Gerard and Perri, David
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Purpose: This paper discusses the well-publicized labor shortages in the building trades, reviews the causes for the deficiencies, and presents prescriptions for how career counselors and schools can play a critical role in encouraging young adults to consider construction occupations. Design/methodology/approach: Using data from government agencies, trade organizations, and scholarly publications, this paper describes the categories of the building trades as well as their employment trends and compensation prospects. It also reviews the personal and environmental factors that could lead to the "construction of a construction career." Findings: This article documents the reasons for the labor shortages in the construction industry and then offers recommendation on how younger adults could be encouraged to consider the building trades as viable career alternatives. Social implications: Labor shortages in the construction industry have a direct and indirect deleterious effect on the economic well-being of every country. This article provides suggestions on how to inspire young adults to consider the building trades as worthwhile career pursuits. Originality/value: There is a limited amount of scholarly attention given to career decision making related to occupations that do not require a college degree, including the building trades. This paper attempts to fill this gap in the literature by focusing on the individual characteristics and environmental factors that might prompt consideration of a career in the building trades. It also describes the educational, governmental, and corporate initiatives that work to encourage individuals, working in conjunction with their career counselors, to consider careers in the construction industry.
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- 2020
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47. Overcoming Diverse Approaches to Vocational Education and Training to Combat Climate Change: The Case of Low Energy Construction in Europe
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Clarke, Linda, Sahin-Dikmen, Melahat, and Winch, Christopher
- Abstract
Vocational education and training (VET) can play a transformative role in reducing CO[subscript 2] emissions and improving the energy efficiency of buildings across Europe. Nearly zero energy building (NZEB) requires an energy literate workforce, with broader and deeper theoretical knowledge, higher technical and precision skills, interdisciplinary understanding, and a wide range of transversal competences. Through an investigation into VET for low energy construction (LEC) in 10 European countries, the article identifies a range of different strategies advanced under constraints imposed by the VET systems and construction labour markets. At one extreme, representing the 'high road', LEC elements are mainstreamed into broad-based occupational profiles, curricula and qualifications, whilst at the other, the 'low' road, short, specific and one-off LEC courses simply aim to plug existing 'skills' gaps. It is argued that the 'high road' approach, in encompassing a broad concept of agency, successfully addresses NZEB requirements whereas the 'low road' represents an instrumentalist approach to labour that jeopardises the achievement of higher energy efficiency standards. The article concludes by presenting a transparency tool set within the European Qualifications Framework, against which different VET for LEC programmes can be assessed.
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- 2020
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48. Identity, Pedagogy and Technology-Enhanced Learning: Supporting the Processes of Becoming a Tradesperson. Professional and Practice-Based Learning. Volume 27
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Chan, Selena and Chan, Selena
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This book gathers work from over a decade of study, and seeks to better understand and support how learners become tradespeople. The research programme applies recent concepts from neuroscience, educational psychology and technology-enhanced learning to explain and help overcome the challenges of learning in trades-learning contexts. Due to the complex and multifarious nature of the work characterising trade occupations, learning how to become a tradesperson requires a significant commitment in terms of time, along with physical and cognitive effort. All modalities (visual, aural, haptic etc.) and literacies (text, numerical, spatial etc.) are required when undertaking trade work. Manual dexterity and strength, coupled with the technical and tacit knowledge required for complex problem solving, not to mention suitable dispositional approaches, must all be learnt and focused on becoming a tradesperson. However, there is a substantial gap in the literature on 'how people learn a trade' and 'how to teach a trade'. In this book, contemporary teaching and learning approaches and strategies, as derived through practice-based participatory research, are used to highlight and discuss pragmatic solutions to facilitate the learning and teaching of trade skills, knowledge and dispositions. The approaches and strategies discussed include the implementation of technology-enhanced learning; project-based inquiry/problem-based learning; and recommendations to ensure learners are prepared for the future of work.
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- 2020
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49. Integrating Worksite Smoking Cessation Services into the Construction Sector: Opportunities and Challenges
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Asfar, Taghrid, McClure, Laura A., Arheart, Kristopher L., Ruano-Herreria, Estefania C., Gilford, Clark G., Moore, Kevin, Dietz, Noella A., Ward, Kenneth D., Lee, David J., and Caban-Martinez, Alberto J.
- Abstract
Background: Smoking prevalence among Hispanic/Latino construction workers in the United States is very high (31%). Aims: To investigate tobacco use profiles in these minority workers and explore their management's views about implementing sustainable worksite smoking cessation services. Methods: Analysis of baseline data from a smoking cessation trial among Hispanic/Latino construction workers (n = 134; adult men =18 years), and semistructured, 45-minute interviews with 24 key personnel at six construction companies in south Florida were conducted. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed thematically. Results: Overall, 43.3% of workers were Cuban, and 81.3% had low acculturation level. Nicotine dependence levels were "high" in 61.8% of workers. Half of the workers had a successful quit attempt but only 9.9% received advice from a physician to quit smoking, 16.7% used medication to quit, and 79.2% did not receive assistance. Participants in the interviews stated that nothing was provided to help smokers quit smoking and considered distributing self-help materials with free medications as the most appropriate service. Challenges to integrating the service were time restriction and cost. Recommendations for implementing the service were local/state government mandate. Discussion: Tailoring tobacco treatment to Hispanic/Latino construction workers' job circumstances and culture is essential to support their cessation efforts. Integrating worksite tobacco treatment services into other available health promotion programs (e.g., safety) and enforcing smoke-free legislation in the construction sector can facilitate its adoption. Conclusion: Involving key stakeholders and mandating the service by the State and local government are necessary to integrate sustainable worksite smoking cessation services in the construction sector.
- Published
- 2019
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50. Towards Entrepreneurial Learning Competencies: The Perspective of Built Environment Students
- Author
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Ernest, Kissi, Matthew, Somiah K., and Samuel, Ansah K.
- Abstract
This paper sought to discuss entrepreneurial learning competencies by determining the outcome of entrepreneurial learning on the views of built environment students in the university setting. In this study, three relevant competencies were identified for entrepreneurial learning through literature, namely: entrepreneurial attitude, entrepreneurial skills and knowledge of entrepreneurship. On this basis, questionnaire was designed and administered to graduate students in built environment. In all, a total of 124 questionnaires were administered to respondents. Out this, 84 were retrieved representing a response rate of 68% and were further subjected to analysis using Relative Importance Index (RII). The findings from the study highlighted on competencies factors that have great impact on entrepreneurs in dealing with tasks and problems related to entrepreneurial learning processes. These key entrepreneurial competencies as perceived by the built environment students were ranked as: "entrepreneurial attitude," "knowledge of entrepreneurship" and "entrepreneurial skill." The findings may help stakeholders in the building industry including up-coming graduate students. Thus, it could help in their journey into entrepreneurial terrain affiliated to advancement of their career, as a way to increase private wealth and the pursuit of a more balanced life.
- Published
- 2015
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