Impact of contractor development programs on the competency of small and medium contractors in Ethiopia

The Ethiopian government has implemented Contractor Development Programs (CDPs) to tackle the challenges faced by small and medium contractors (SMCs) to enhance their competency. However, the effectiveness of these programs in improving their competency needs to be assessed, and areas for improvement identified. As part of a broader research, this study aims to assess the effectiveness of the CDPs in imparting knowledge and skills to SMCs, measure the overall satisfaction of CDP participants and identify the challenges and barriers encountered. A questionnaire survey and interviews were utilized to gather participants' views. The findings indicate that the program fell short of its intended goals, as the majority (85.71%) of participants reported only moderate or low satisfaction with the knowledge and skills gained from the CDPs. Furthermore, the program faced challenges, including poorly designed training and technical support schemes; absence of appropriate recording, monitoring, and evaluation systems; and unsatisfactory supply chain management. The effectiveness of the CDP depends on the quality of training provided by the facilitators, the availability of resources, and the level of engagement and participation from the SMCs. Hence, the study highlights priority areas of improvement for policymakers and regulators and can serve as a benchmark for future research.