Editorial

This Volume 178, Issue 3 of the ICE’s Management, Procurement, and Law, published by Emerald, is a collection of five articles from the Special Issue (SI) on Global Perspectives on Construction Workforce Education and Apprenticeship. It is widely known that the construction industry remains a critical driver of socio-economic development, yet it continues to grapple with workforce challenges. From persistent skills shortages and uneven training pathways to gender imbalances and weak links between academia and industry, the sector’s workforce landscape is undergoing scrutiny and transformation. This Special Issue, Part 2, builds upon the momentum of Part 1 to further explore practical, institutional, and policy dimensions shaping construction workforce development in diverse global contexts. The five papers featured in this issue address questions about inclusivity, education-to-employment pathways, and the professional development of students and academic staff. The contributions are timely and essential, especially as the industry seeks to adapt to trends such as digitalization, an ageing workforce, and sustainable construction imperatives. This SI aligns with three United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

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  SDG 4: Quality Education, through research on higher education institutions, degree apprenticeships, and vocational pathways for skills development in the construction sector.

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  SDG 5: Gender Equality, through a systematic review of the barriers and strategies for attracting women into construction, a traditionally male-dominated sector.

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  SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, through examinations of workforce attraction, retention, and professional upskilling strategies essential for building resilient labour markets.

The first article concerns the barriers and attraction strategies for females in construction. The article by Rutherfod and Daniel (2025) recognised that women are an untapped resource that can bridge the skill gap in the construction sector. The systematic review article shows that Australia is at the forefront of implementing strategies for attracting females into the industry using apprenticeship programmes to influence desired outcomes. The review flagged significant barriers such as discrimination, gender stereotypes, the glass ceiling (lack of progression), and wage disparity. Strategies to counteract some of these barriers include apprenticeship or pre-apprenticeships, career opportunities, parental influence, and STEM programmes. These factors affect industrial policy in Australia, where most reviewed articles emanated from, and other countries.

Learnerships and artisan development have been topical in developing countries, especially South Africa, and the data site of the following article in the SI. Windapo et al. (2025) also positioned their discourse on strategies for attracting, transitioning, and retaining workers in the construction industry. The article shows insights into policy implementation, the relevance of the programmes, and the use of recognition of prior learning to move artisans up the learning ladder. The authors suggest that addressing artisans’ skill shortages in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) sector will require development strategies with clear execution targets driven by strengthened institutional platforms to enhance processes such as digitalization for access and success. The third article of the SI returns to higher education from apprenticeship. Oladimeji and Haddad (2025) reviewed construction skills acquisition using PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) in the article. The review article is relevant to all AEC role players, including students and tertiary education institutions, because it provides a better comprehension of global trends in construction education. In universities, curricula, teaching methods, and technologies must consistently evolve to meet or exceed today's needs.

Still on tertiary education, Momoh et al. (2025) illustrate the impact of work experience on subject knowledge and professional development among lecturers in the AEC sector. The gist of the article is how academics can stay current with practices within the AEC sector to improve the knowledge passed on to students in their classes. Readers will observe how lecturers can remain informed about contemporary developments and trends in the industry. These include college-industry collaborations (for teaching and research purposes), continuous professional development (CPD), vocational training, and student work-integrated learning. The model for integrating lecturers and students with work experience should be well-received in tertiary education. The first and final article of the SI focus on the delivery of quantity surveying degree apprenticeships by universities in the United Kingdom (UK). Ewuga et al. (2025) say that degree apprenticeships have gained traction in UK universities, and an evaluation of participant experience is warranted. The results show that degree apprenticeships increased access and peer interactions. However, employer support, training content, and balancing work with learning time remain challenges that must be tackled.

Together, the five articles offer insights into workforce challenges and actionable models for fostering a more inclusive, future-ready, and skilled construction labour force. The SI suggests that as construction industries confront increasing technological, social, and environmental complexities, the need for robust workforce strategies has never been greater. These Special Issues [MAPL Vol. 178 (2&3)] add to the growing body of knowledge that repositions workforce development as central to achieving sectoral transformation and long-term sustainability. By interrogating current educational models, gender, and professional development issues, the articles propose a global agenda for rethinking how we attract, educate, and retain the next generation of construction professionals. A clear call for systemic collaboration between industry, academia, and government emerges to futureproof the sector’s human capital. This issue also offers a springboard for research and policy innovation that bridges education, employment, and equity. It invites scholars and practitioners alike to continue engaging with the vital question: