Demand of 21st Century Skills in the Construction Workforce

9 pages•Published: June 9, 2021

Abstract

This paper analyzes the job postings in the construction sector to identify the nature and demand of the soft skills that the construction industry is looking for in the employees. The construction industry, like other industries, is witnessing rapid change in the working environment because of factors such as increasing cultural diversity of the workforce, advancement in information technology and introduction of automation and artificial intelligence to perform routine jobs. Because of these changes, individuals need soft skills to succeed in the 21st century workplace. The job postings on the Job Bank Canada website in 2019 that were related to the construction sector were analyzed to identify the soft skills that are in demand in the construction industry. Out of the top 12 skills extracted from the job postings, seven skills are identified as the soft skills. “Team player” is the most sought-after skill in the construction industry, which appears in 56.4% of the job postings. Other soft skills in demand are “effective interpersonal skills,” “excellent oral communication,” “attention to detail,” “reliability,” “flexibility,” and working in a “fast-paced environment.” The analysis shows that the interpersonal and intrapersonal soft skills are in high demand in the construction industry.

Keyphrases: 21st century skills, construction, soft skills, Team player, Workforce

In: Tom Leathem, Anthony J. Perrenoud and Wesley Collins (editors). ASC 2021. 57th Annual Associated Schools of Construction International Conference, vol 2, pages 73--81

Links:	https://easychair.org/publications/paper/nQfk
	https://doi.org/10.29007/g6d8