Workers' skills and receptiveness to operate under the Tier II construction management strategy

Shortages of skilled construction workers and their consequent impact on project performance have been reported with increasing frequency over the last few years. The Center for Construction Industry Studies at The University of Texas at Austin has proposed a work force management strategy, referred to as Tier II, to address the need for a comprehensive approach to the problem. Projects executed under the Tier II strategy would utilize fewer, better-educated and skilled workers who perform craft functions and some lower-management functions and receive higher compensation, while delivering improved or comparable project results. With the participation of industry leaders, labor organizations and experienced highly skilled craft workers, the strategy and its implementation metric have been developed. This dissertation presents results from the analysis of preliminary baseline data gathered from 12 industrial construction projects located in seven states within the USA, including surveys from over 500 workers. The results show that the skill levels and project practices indicated in Tier II strategy metrics are feasible and achievable. Also, the evidence indicates that workers already have some Tier II skills but opportunity for improvement is large, mainly in management skills; and most importantly, the workers are receptive to improve in those skills and to work with the Tier II proposed construction work force management practices. There is a need for a structured work force management approach in the construction industry, where workers' technical and management skills are recognized, utilized, and remunerated. Preliminary evidence from workers' data suggests that the metrics-based implementation if Tier II strategy is achievable, and the apparent feasibility of its implementation encourages further data gathering for its refinement and assessment versus construction success. For the work force, the benefits of the Tier II strategy are promising. If proven to yield comparable or superior construction performance results for construction and owner companies, the Tier II strategy could provide a long-term, revolutionary improvement in construction management practices.