Annor, John (2025) Building pathways to the future: Leveraging collaborative instruction platforms to address global and regional challenges in construction workforce education. PhD thesis, University of Wyoming, USA.
Abstract
The construction industry remains a vital contributor to global economic development, yet it is burdened by labor shortages, an aging workforce, technological disruptions, and misaligned education systems. These challenges are particularly acute in both high-income countries (HICs) and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where rapid urbanization and sustainability imperatives demand a skilled and adaptable labor force. This dissertation explores how collaborative teaching platforms—integrated instructional partnerships among high schools, colleges, universities, and industry stakeholders—can be leveraged to address systemic gaps in construction workforce education and training. Structured as a four-paper dissertation, this study adopts a multi-scalar and interdisciplinary approach to understanding construction workforce development. Paper 1 provides a global and regional overview of the economic significance of the construction sector, highlighting disparities in labor market structures and training infrastructure across different world regions. The study draws on international datasets and policy analyses to underscore structural weaknesses in vocational and technical training systems, particularly in LMICs. Paper 2 investigates workforce development trends in the United States and Canada between 2010 and 2024, using descriptive statistics and regression analysis to evaluate employment patterns, wage disparities, gender participation, and the influence of educational attainment. It reveals fragmented training pathways, persistent gender-based wage gaps, and limited integration of emerging technologies in education systems. Paper 3 narrows the lens to the state of Wyoming to examine rural construction labor markets. Using fifteen years of monthly employment and wage data, it assesses how demographic decline, geographic isolation, and limited access to training institutions affect workforce stability. The study identifies regionspecific barriers and emphasizes the need for locally adapted place-based strategies. Paper 4 builds on these insights by evaluating collaborative teaching platforms as a pedagogical solution. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study assessed the implementation of co-teaching models in two construction courses delivered collaboratively across a university, community college, and high school. Quantitative analysis included Welch's t-tests and ANOVA to examine institutional and temporal differences in student performance, while Kruskal-Wallis tests and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) were employed to validate and compare student perceptions of instructional quality and engagement. Survey responses from students, instructors, and industry professionals were triangulated with classroom observation and visual evidence, providing a robust multidimensional assessment. The findings revealed statistically significant (p-value = 0) improvements in student outcomes and widespread satisfaction with the co-teaching model. Classroom layouts, instructional diversity, and technology integration were identified as key contributors to student engagement. Limitations related to data completeness and observation scope were acknowledged, but overall, the results confirmed the pedagogical and practical value of collaborative teaching as a strategy for construction workforce development. Together, these papers demonstrate the potential of collaborative teaching models to bridge academic-industry divides, address regional workforce disparities, and modernize construction education in line with technological and sustainability goals. The findings contribute to scholarly discourse and inform practical strategies for policymakers, educators, and industry leaders seeking to build a resilient, inclusive, and future-ready construction workforce.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Thesis advisor: | Jacobs, Francois and Abdealty, Ahmed |
| Index terms: | construction industry, workforce development, labour market, labour force, stability, employment, evidence, dissertation, satisfaction, income, quantitative analysis, urbanization, exploratory factor analysis, student engagement, platform, integration, construction education, disparity, education and training, survey, economic development, construction sector, labour shortage, student performance, construction labour, classroom, partnership, markets, Canada, United States, dataset, policy analysis, emerging technology, statistics, instructor, strategy, implementation, regression analysis |
| Subjects: | innovation and technology management, mathematical modelling, evaluation and assessment methods, digital design, professional development, data collection methods, social justice, contractual arrangements, management, professional education, data analysis and analytics, student development, statistical analysis, Geography, urban planning, economics, project delivery, structural engineering, data management, organizational analysis, research dissemination and communication, policy studies, partnership management, construction type, practitioner, economic analysis, economic development, industry analysis |
| Topics: | Project Management, Supply Chain Management, Research Practice, Site Management, Construction Technology, Ethics, Stakeholder Management, Sustainability, Engineering Principles, Procurement, Governance, Geographical Context, Education, Organizational Design, Business Strategy, Roles and Professions, Human Resources, Digital Applications |
| 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