Skills transfer as a means of addressing skills shortage in the South African construction industry

Measures to manage the effects of skills shortage found in the built environment sector are crucial as the construction industry is a substantial contributor to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) in most developing states. The severity of the challenge of the lack of skills and its impact is felt most severely in the construction industry as the construction industry is driven by equipping labour with the necessary skills to provide finished products such as housing, roads and infrastructure. It is therefore critical that construction companies find ways to retain and sustain skills within their firms if they are to thrive and remain competitive in today’s global market. Several strategies have been implemented with the aim of alleviating skills shortage and facilitating skills transfer. The purpose of this paper is to assess the role played by senior workers in the transfer of skills in contracting firms within KwaZulu-Natal. This was a quantitative study, 33 employees in construction firms were randomly selected to complete the questionnaire. The findings indicated that junior workers found that unemployability is the largest contributing factor to skills shortage. The majority of the participants agreed that skills transfer from senior workers is a viable solution to skills transfer. Improvements to the current skills transfer mechanisms were recommended as a means to produce more skilled junior workers. Platforms that facilitate communication between senior workers and junior workers, the identification of goals, workplace shadowing and workshops were recommended.