While the manufacturing and agriculture industries have exhibited productivity growth over the past two decades, the construction industry has only increased marginally in the same period. Economic experts suggested that skilling and re-skilling the construction workforce through effective training may help improve project performance. This study aimed to achieve three objectives: 1) Examine the perception of early career craft workers on the helpfulness of various technical skills training methods used, 2) Examine the perception of early career craft workers on the helpfulness of identified training components in delivering quality technical skills training, and 3) Explore the perceptions of the craft workforce on the frequency of technical skills training received. An in-depth literature review informed the creation of a survey administered to U.S. craft workers, yielding 1467 responses, with 543 (37%) representing early career craft workers with zero to eight years of experience. The study found that on-the-job training is the most used and preferred method among early-career craft workers, with hands-on applications, real-world examples, and knowledgeable instructors identified as key components of effective technical skills training. These findings offer insights for training providers and industry stakeholders seeking to enhance craft worker capabilities and improve overall project performance. © 2025 Associated Schools of Construction.
Author Keywords
Index Keywords
