A 21st Century Employability Skills Improvement Framework for the Construction Industry
John Aliu, Clinton Aigbavboa, Wellington Thwala
- 252 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Only available on web
A 21st Century Employability Skills Improvement Framework for the Construction Industry
John Aliu, Clinton Aigbavboa, Wellington Thwala
About This Book
This book will provide readers with an understanding of the employability concept and develop an employability skills improvement model to enhance the employability of built environment graduates to foster economic development. The developed model determines the influence of generic skills, discipline specific skills, work-integrated learning, emotional intelligence, university-industry collaboration outcomes and 4IR knowledge in predicting the outcomes of improved graduate employability. The model is developed with a theoretical lens on existing frameworks of employability and skills development. Whilst drawing comparisons with countries such as the UK, USA, Australia and Canada, the authors present the results of a two-stage Delphi survey in South Africa as a case study on the current state of skills development and on the skills of the future. The case study is presented in line with the South Africa's long-term National Development Plan (NDP) aimed at developing the key capabilities and skills of its citizens by ensuring quality education on a broader scale by 2030. As automation continues to rapidly advance, the pressures on universities to revamp and restructure their curricula have become increasingly necessary. This book recommends that higher education institutions urgently need to intensify their efforts by introducing significant modifications to the science and technology curriculum to enable students to develop and acquire competencies in the rapidly emerging areas of artificial intelligence, data science, robotics, advanced simulation, data communication, system automation, real-time inventory operations, cloud computing, and information technologies. This implies that universities' curriculum should be infused with 4IR thinking within the conventional primary sciences of biology, chemistry, and physics, with greater emphasis on digital literacy to boost 4IR understanding amongst the graduates. The book is therefore of interest to researchers and policy makers in the built environment that are placed in academia, the construction industry or at consultancy levels, it provides significant recommendations for universities as they intensify their efforts to develop graduates for the future.
Frequently asked questions
Section II
Employability theories and model development
2
Theoretical background surrounding employability
Theoretical framework
Human capital theory
No. | Author(s) and year | Title of research | Definitions | Variables measured |
---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
1 | Schultz (1961) | Education and economic growth | Defined as the acquisition of abilities, skills, and knowledge from activities of higher education (training and learning) | Training for the future |
2 | Mincer (1962) | On-the-job training: costs, returns, and some implications | Described as the required educational process and activities that are instituted by higher education to effectively prepare individuals to handle future organizational responsibilities | Quality workforce for the future |
3 | Denison(1962) | Sources of economic growth in the United States and the alternatives before us | Defined as intentional educational activities to effectively prepare individuals to handle future organizational responsibilities | Improved workforce |
4 | Becker(1964) | A theoretical and empirical analysis with special reference to education | Described human capital as an individualâs effort in acquiring education | Individualâs investment in education |
5 | Bowman (1969) | Economics of Education | Described human capital as an individualâs effort in acquiring education. It also considered several factors that can affect education such as health, social services, etc. | Investment in education |
6 | Blaug(1976) | The empirical status of human cap ital theory | Described as the intentional efforts of individuals to acquire holistic education to improve the future | Training for the future |
7 | Cohn (1980) | The economics of education | Described human capital as a function of improved education and training that can result in better output from individuals as well as higher wages | Increased productivity |
8 | Romer (1986) | Increasing returns and long-run growth | Defined as an approach for knowledge creation through improved education to improve organizational output | Improved profit |
9 | Psacharopoulous (1985) | Returns to education: a further international update and implications | Described human capital as a function of improved education and training that can result in better output from individuals | Increased productivity |
10 | Romer (1987) | Growth based on increasing returns due to specialization | Described the importance of knowledge in human capital discussion | The increasing stock of knowledge |
11 | Romer (1990) | Endogenous technological change | Took into consideration the total stock of human capital that an organization has. As such, an economy will experience an accelerated growth rate if they possess a larger stock of human capital | Faster rate of growth |
12 | Becker et al. (1990) | Human capital, fertility, and economic growth | Op ined that there is a considerable connection between family size and the choice of investing in human cap ital | Faster economic growth |
13 | Becker(1993) | Nobel lecture: The economic way of looking at behaviour | Described human capital as an individualâs level of education and trainin... |
Table of contents
- Cover
- Half Title
- Series Page
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Contents
- List of figures
- List of tables
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- List of abbreviations
- Section I Background information
- Section II Employability theories and model development
- Section III Conceptual framework underpinning employability
- Section IV Conclusions and recommendations
- Index