Training and development for construction workers

The construction industry is considered one of the most dynamic and complex industries as it is project-based and often these projects are custom built to the client’s specifications. Having a skilled workforce is vital for the success of each project.

It has been shown (A.Tabassi, 2011) that people with increased skills and expertise are a driver of an organisation’s success. Practical training develops an understanding of the principles behind the skills and knowledge that workers are trained on. By developing these key competencies, a worker’s ability to navigate tasks on the job improves.

South Africa has Skills Development legislation which requires organisations to develop and submit a Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) annually. By linking training and development to the company’s overall business strategy,  skills can be developed at various levels within the organisation. A WSP is a strategic document that shows how the employer will address the training and development needs within their organisation. This plan is based on the skills required for the workforce and contains the skills interventions that an organisation will implement.

Once an organisation has developed a WSP, it is submitted to the Sector Education Training Authority (SETA). As part of this process, organisations are also required to report on their WSPs in an Annual Training Report (ATR) that shows how they have addressed the priority skills required as defined in the WSP. Complying with Skills Development legislative requirements allows companies to access various SETA grants for skills training. The Association’s Business Support Consultancy unit may be contacted for a quote to assist with the WSP.

Master Builders KwaZulu-Natal is available to develop Workplace Skills Plans and to provide training to all organisations. Our short courses are aimed at various levels from management to entry-level skills. We have courses on the construction supervision process, construction contracting, basic fire fighting and technical skills such as bricklaying and plastering.  We are committed to addressing skill gaps within the construction industry by providing relevant training. For more information please contact training@masterbuilders.co.za

We value your insights. Please take this short survey to help us learn about your company’s training requirements: https://forms.office.com/r/wD6fYqyUQS

Heidi Kilian

Head: Training Academy 

Reference:

A. Tabassi et al. 2011. Training and development of workforces in Construction Industry. International Journal of Academic Research vol. 3. No. 4. Pg 509-515.