The building and construction industry is vital to all economies, yet across an increasing number of countries, the industry's future is vulnerable to uncertainties in the supply of suitably skilled labour and the maintenance of skill formation. Training and skill development b an area in which unions may play a key role in Australia, and the issue of skilled labour shortages has gained political prominence in recent times. This paper explores influences that are reshaping training and employment and that have led to a construction labour market characterised by skill fragmentation, low apprentice pay and retention rates, and curtailment of crucial managerial pathways. The paper identifies flaws in the present construction training infrastructure, suggests strategies to address the training dilemmas of the industry and concludes by posing questions that warrant consideration by unions in mapping out a future role in construction industry training and education. © 2010, Copyright Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
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