Anakor, C A; Harper, C M and Taylor, T R B (2026) Training and job search preferences among male and female craft workers in US construction. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 152(3): 04025267, ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
Recent initiatives in the construction industry highlight the importance of technical skills training and gender diversity for the industry's growth and development. Despite efforts to improve training, gaps remain in gender diversity and its impact on technical skills training, particularly among craft professionals. This study examines the perceptions of craft professionals regarding (1) types of training received, (2) types of certifications held, (3) benefits and barriers of technical skills training, and (4) job-searching factors. The study collected and analyzed 1,457 responses from craft professionals using a survey questionnaire and snowball sampling. Results revealed that female craft professionals prefer formal classroom training, evidenced by their acquisition of the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) and other third-party training certifications/licenses. Males and females also differ in their perceptions of the benefits and barriers of technical skills training, which employers and training providers can integrate or eliminate to create an inclusive workplace and training engagement. Furthermore, "challenging work assignment"was the most important factor female craft professionals prioritized during job searches. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by providing new insights into designing technical skills training programs that cater to diverse preferences, promoting an inclusive workplace, and enhancing project outcomes.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction industry; economy; gender and diversity; inclusive workplace; workforce development |
| Index terms: | workforce development, questionnaire, construction education, classroom, program, preference, body of knowledge, technical skill, certification, survey, sampling, construction industry, project outcome, acquisition |
| Subjects: | knowledge management, project completion, construction type, professional education, decision-making and reasoning, business, data collection methods, administrative processes, industry analysis, software systems, professional development |
| Topics: | Construction Technology, Research Practice, Information Management, Business Strategy, Contract Administration, Digital Applications, Project Management, Education |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here