This latest issue (Volume 178, Issue 2) of the ICE’s Management, Procurement, and Law published by Emerald is a collection of six articles from the Special Issue (SI) on Global Perspectives on Construction Workforce Education and Apprenticeship. Part 1 of the SI explored construction workforce education and apprenticeship practices in the United Kingdom (UK), Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Pakistan, highlighting successful strategies and potential areas for improvement. These articles align with the targets of sustainable development goals: four (quality education), eight (decent work and economic growth), and nine (industry, innovation, and infrastructure).
The issue begins with the article by Daniel et al. (2025), which discusses developing future skills for the engineering sector based on evidence from the UK. The article reminds the readers that a shortage of skilled workforce hinders innovation and expected project success. The industry is in a quagmire concerning attracting young people in the face of aging workers. Varying apprenticeship models are promoted to address the shortage challenge while easing the industry's retention, recruitment, and training needs. In particular, the article observes that awareness, funding, incentives (financial and non-financial), and diversity influence the decision of young people to sign up for the degree apprenticeship in the UK. Additional factors include job demand, balancing theory with practical training, collaboration, leadership support, and lived experiences of learners, which play significant roles in the UK. The implication of the results shared in the article for degree apprenticeship in the UK and similar countries is that awareness, career counselling, and collaboration will enhance the pipeline of enrolment, retention, and graduation in such programmes. The next article in the issue builds on the degree apprenticeship theme. In the article, Zakharova et al. (2025) attempt to solicit a response to ‘Can the degree apprenticeship become the degree of difference in Egypt?’. In response to the question, the article shows that the survey respondents in Egypt acknowledge the novelty and practicality of the degree apprenticeship model because it is viewed as an “earn while learn” approach to higher education. However, the impediment to the model would be the difference between the higher education systems in Egypt and the UK, especially concerning cultural factors. Perhaps, if awareness of the model is enhanced in Egypt and the study is expedited among a broader population on how to narrow the differences between both higher education systems would facilitate better implementation.
The third article concerns experiences in construction craftspeople apprenticeship programmes in Nigeria. Adah et al. (2025) say that women tend to bridge the gap created by the shortage of skills in construction through increased participation in apprenticeship training. They examined the nuances of the experiences of women in construction in Nigeria through the lens of 12 women apprentices and their superiors (managers of apprenticeship programmes). The article, which aligned with SDG8 on decent work, shows that the primary factors motivating women to enroll in construction craftspeople apprenticeship programs include the desire to upskill themselves for improved employment and remuneration opportunities. However, women must overcome challenges to get the most out of the programmes. The barriers include the non-payment of subsistence allowances and inadequate tools for the training programmes. These challenges in Nigeria can quickly emerge in other developing countries. Thus, construction craftspeople apprenticeship programmes should address them to retain and attract more women into the trades. The article by Gerber and Crafford (2025) focuses on an emerging electrical trade skill shortage crisis in a South African province. The research examined the shortage of professional electricians through the lens of causes, consequences, and potential solutions. The qualitative study reveals inadequate training opportunities and low industry awareness of the state of play fuel the shortage. The cause of the shortage is inadequate training, the consequence is increased use of unqualified electricians, and the solution is an intentional reform of vocational training in the sector. The article implores stakeholders to address the training and awareness gaps to reduce the shortfall in electrician numbers while improving the workforce's skills to uphold industry standards (increase the number of qualified electricians).
Technology is central to training in the 21st Century, especially in the construction industry. The fifth article in the SI provides insights into using virtual reality (VR) to train Zimbabwean construction workers. In the article, Mbaraja and Moyo (2025) acknowledge that a skilled workforce is not readily available in Zimbabwe, where VR as a training tool may be deployed. The survey conducted among building contractors and vocational training centres shows varying perceptions of adoption awareness among the respondents. Both respondents’ cohorts concur that VR is beneficial to training models aimed at improving the skills of construction workers and, as such, its use should be promoted. In the sixth article, Umar et al. (2025) indicate that the wrong interpretation of regulation hinders qualified graduates from practicing engineering disciplines in Pakistan. The central argument is that the impact of regulation on the profession should be forward-looking and contribute to better education and training in the sector. When this is not the case, urgent steps should be taken to expedite revisions.
The articles in Volume 178 Issue 2 of MAPL outline issues around construction workforce education and training with perspectives from Europe, Africa, and Asia. The comparative discourse of related training (apprenticeship) insights from six countries foregrounds the notion that the workforce shortage is global, and solutions are multifaceted. As a CIB-partner journal, MAPL articles highlight the latest ideas and best practices for advancing research and innovation in Building and Construction. The Guest Editors of this SI, Associate Professor Emmanuel I. Daniel, Dr Olalekan S. Oshodi, and I, including the editorial board of MAPL, appreciate the continued support of readers and contributors.
Happy reading!
