Progress Of Training Unskilled Workers Management Essay

The difference between skilled and unskilled workers can be the decision between a successful or unsuccessful contract in the construction industry. With the shortage of skilled workers in the industry, it is up to every company involved in the construction industry to try and make a difference. The objective of this research report therefore being to check the many steps put in place by government and companies within the industry for the improvement of the workers in the construction industry.

Methodology:

Checking whether processes private companies have put in place to aid in training unskilled workers in the construction industry are effective.

Data:

Identify methods put in place to train unskilled workers.

The difference in methods that South Africa has, as compared to other countries.

What are private companies doing to improve this?

The role of the Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP) put in place by government and its effectiveness thus far.

Results:

The main factor affecting the progress of training unskilled workers in the construction industry is the economic situation of the industry. Also time and initiative put forward by companies that have the power and skill to train unskilled workers.

Conclusion:

The EPWP is not understood properly and is seen as more of an increase to the current workload. Therefore, companies tend to stray away from it. To get into the industry other than a labourer you have to have a degree, a diploma or you would have had to have served an apprenticeship in the construction industry for a certain amount of months, which can also be difficult to obtain.

Recommendation:

South Africa has seen wondrous results when determination serves as motivation. During the 2010 World Cup, South Africa got together as a country and out did themselves with the construction of world renowned stadiums. This should serve as a reminder of a “little goes a long way”. More authority should be put in place to see that every company in the construction industry has put in place a training programme or mentorship programme. Including the public works contracts, companies that are involved in that should be checked to see that they are fulfilling that requirement in the said building contract and if they are working towards the betterment of the construction industry or are they not contributing to the social development of South Africa at all.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract

Chapter One – Introduction

1.1 Introduction

1.2 The Problem

1.2.1 Outline of the topic

Chapter Two – Literature Review – Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP)

2.1 What is the EPWP?

2.2 Logical framework of EPWP

2.3 Targets of EPWP

2.4 Progress of EPWP

Chapter Three – Methodology

3.1 Purpose of Surveys and Outcomes

3.3 Research Data from external sources

Chapter Four – Data Analysis

4.1 Descriptions of Surveys Sent Out

Chapter Five – Data Collection

5.1 Actual Surveys

Chapter Six – Skills development and the output from the construction industry

6.1 Relationship between Skills Development and the Output in the construction industry

Chapter Seven – Involvement of institutes and skills development

7.1 Government-based initiatives employed to train unskilled workers

7.2 Construction Education and Training Authority

Chapter Eight – Conclusion

Chapter Nine – Recommendations

References

Chapter One

1.1. Introduction

Eighteen years ago, when South Africa became a democratic state, many promises where made and therefore a lot of expectations where born. How does South Africa develop their employees in the construction industry? In this research project we will delve into some policies put in place to achieve development in the construction industry.

Poverty and unemployment are the key economic challenges in South Africa. There has been a decrease in employment opportunities in South Africa in the Construction industry for semi-skilled and unskilled workers.

Skills development in the construction industry faces a very particular challenge since the construction sector employs the fourth highest number of persons having no formal education – after agriculture, households and mining (Thwala, 2011).

Skills shortages affect the economic growth of the country – many companies are finding it difficult to source suitable candidates to employ (McCord, 2005).

The introduction of the public works infrastructure programmes and projects are seen as a major development tool. The public work infrastructure programmes was initiated with the hope of transforming the lives of people throughout the developing world.

One of the most remarkable programmes, a programme that stands out is the Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP). The EPWP is a national program that aims to draw a significant amount of unemployed into the productive work force in the construction industry.

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Time spent on initial training: N/A

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Level of understanding of the EPWP: ?

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Annual revenue spent on training and/or mentorship programmes: R200K ,

spent on entrepreneurial, generic and engineering skills.

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Success rate of interventions mentioned: ?

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Thank you for your co-operation.

Chapter Six

Skills development and the output from the construction industry

6.1 Relationship between Skills Development and the Output in the construction industry

The Skills level of construction workers is extremely important in the industry. Actually in any industry the level of intellect that the employees have plays a vital role in the product that is produced.

The relationship between the skills development and the output in the construction industry is extremely proportionate. The product is of better quality when the people doing the work are highly skilled for it. There are three methods for training unskilled workers. These methods are endorsed by the Construction Education Training Authority (CETA). There three methods are namely:

Learnerships

Apprenticeships

Further Education and Training Colleges (FET)

Chapter Seven:

Involvement of institutes and skills development:

7.1 Government-based initiatives employed to train unskilled workers

National Public Works Programme

Initiated under the public works programme that is critical to job creation.

Community Base Public Works Programme

Aimed to provide immediate relief to communities an in enabling them to build a capacity for their community to be develop.

Extended Public Works Programme

Launched in 2004, aimed to provide 100 000 to 200 000 short term job opportunities each year.

7.2 Construction Education and Training Authority

How has this institute helped in any way to the skills development and in the South African construction industry?

Many institutes such as the Construction Education and Training Authority (CETA) are involved in skills development. Their sole purpose is to provide assistance to training workers in the construction industry

Chapter Eight

Conclusions

This survey provided the researcher, with an enlightening insight into the capacity of the EPWP. The Extended Public Works Programme was founded in order to provide unemployed unskilled workers with work opportunities in the different sectors, one of the sectors being the construction industry. This message was relayed to us in 2004 by our former president Mr Thabo Mbeki. But is the EPWP really working? If the EPWP is working, then to what extent is it? If the EPWP is not working, then where are the short falls?

Insight has been gained from the surveys conducted on two major problems. Evidently they are major problems, because they will be in existence in the long term. Long term problems would not be good because then the EPWP would have not shown significant impact on the economy. Only when there is a significant positive change/impact on the economy then only will the lives of the unemployed be better as there will be more job opportunities for them.

As per the data that I have collected, there are many variables that where found. Firstly, the most unbelievable is that the EPWP is not really understood by contractors. They do not have the appropriate knowledge or the training that is involved with a public works project. That is shocking seeing that the Extended Public Works Programme was enforced by the government and every construction company should have appropriate knowledge to at least meet the requirements of an EPWP project.

Does the EPWP enforce rules and obligations as to what is needed and what should be the outcome? Some companies do however train unskilled workers. They firstly employ the workers under the EPWP and they are then trained on site or sent to training institutions to be trained by training institutions such as the Construction Education Training Authority (CETA). This however does not ensure long term job opportunities for these now trained workers.

Chapter Nine:

Recommendations

According to the head of EPWP, ‘the Government’s job creation programme [is] on track’ (cited in BuaNews, Pretoria, March 10, 2005). Evidently, the EPWP has improved job creation in South Africa, however long-term benefits of the labour market are yet to be seen. This is further emphasized by the EPWP’s ability to create short-term job opportunities rather than long-term.

From the research undertaken, also taking into account the significant casual talks with colleagues from the industry, I can safely say in 2012 there has been a significant increase in the awareness of the EPWP but the significance to make a change in peoples lives in the long term has not been increased on an equal scale. More companies that have been awarded are obliged as per contractual obligations to enforce the EPWP in their construction methods and programs, but the EPWP is not being used to the full advantage of the workers. This is mainly due to the lack of knowledge that the contractors have of the EPWP.

In order for the EPWP to be effective, the number of unskilled worker that are trained needs to increase. More authority should be put in place to see that every company in the construction industry has a training or mentorship programme.

This can only be done once the targets of trained workers are met and thereafter motivations can be put in place to increase funding to make a significant impact on unemployment.

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