Framework for Competency Development of Building Construction Graduates for Enhancing Employment
Abstract
The steady increase in unemployment among building construction graduates of
polytechnics in Nigeria is of concern. Efforts of relevant stakeholders have not been effective in
mitigating the problem. This study is aimed at proffering a strategy to addressing this issue. The
researchers sought to explore the competencies required by employers in order to develop an integrated
competency framework to augment existing training programs, thereby bridging the competency gap
between employers and graduates. A survey instrument was used to collect data from a sample of 200
building construction experts. These experts were selected by a proportionate stratified sampling
technique. Three experts, one each from academia, the private sector, and the public sector, validated
the contents of the instrument. Winstep software version 3.73.3 was used to determine the reliability
of the technical and nontechnical competencies sub constructs, and to obtain item strata for
development of the competency hierarchy. The findings revealed a four-staged competency hierarchy
for enhancing graduates’ employability according to the Dreyfus and Dreyfus Novice to experts’
theory of competency. The competency levels were divided according to logit obtained from Winstep
Analysis. A total of 26 sub constructs met the proposed competency framework. Findings from the
study will have significant implications for the government, employers of labour, professionals, skills
training centers and graduates.