Skills Gaps and Training Needs to Meet Market Demands in the Construction Industry

Authors

  • Jason Yi Qin Tan Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, UCSI University, 56000 Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
  • Salihah Surol Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, UCSI University, 56000 Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • Deprizon Syamsunur Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, UCSI University, 56000 Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • Wei Chek Moon Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, UCSI University, 56000 Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • Muhammad Noor Hisyam Jusoh Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, UCSI University, 56000 Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • Nur Ilya Farhana Md Noh Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, UiTM Shah Alam, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor Malaysia
  • Jing Lin Ng Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, UiTM Shah Alam, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor Malaysia
  • Sapitri Sapitri Teknik Sipil, Universitas Islam Riau, Pekanbaru, 28284 Riau, Indonesia

Keywords:

Skills gap, SDG 4

Abstract

The construction industry in Malaysia is undergoing transformation driven by increasing demands for sustainability, efficiency, and technological advancement. However, a significant skills gap among workers threatens productivity and project delivery. This gap arises from differences between traditional construction methods and the adoption of new digital technologies by insufficient training opportunities.  This study aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), which promotes quality education and lifelong learning. It aims to analyse evolving market demands, identify critical skills gaps, and propose strategies to enhance training programs. Using a mixed-method approach, a questionnaire was distributed to construction professionals across diverse demographics. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and reliability tests.  Results reveal strong agreement on the existence of skills gaps, with respondents indicating that current training is moderately effective but would benefit from more practical, hands-on learning. Digital skills are identified as the highest priority for future workforce development.  The findings highlight the need to update training programs to align with international standards and incorporate real-world challenges. Addressing these gaps is vital to improve workforce competency, support industry sustainability, and achieve the objectives of SDG 4.

Author Biographies

Jason Yi Qin Tan, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, UCSI University, 56000 Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

jasontanyq@gmail.com

Salihah Surol, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, UCSI University, 56000 Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

salihah@ucsiuniversity.edu.my

Deprizon Syamsunur, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, UCSI University, 56000 Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

deprizon@ucsiuniversity.edu.my

Wei Chek Moon, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, UCSI University, 56000 Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

MoonWC@ucsiuniversity.edu.my

Muhammad Noor Hisyam Jusoh, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, UCSI University, 56000 Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Muhammad.Noor@ucsiuniversity.edu.my

Nur Ilya Farhana Md Noh, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, UiTM Shah Alam, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor Malaysia

nurilya@uitm.edu.my

Jing Lin Ng, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, UiTM Shah Alam, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor Malaysia

Jinglin.ng@uitm.edu.my

Sapitri Sapitri, Teknik Sipil, Universitas Islam Riau, Pekanbaru, 28284 Riau, Indonesia

spitriap@eng.uir.ac.id

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Published

2025-09-19

How to Cite

Tan, J. Y. Q., Surol, S., Syamsunur, D., Moon, W. C., Jusoh, M. N. H., Md Noh, N. I. F., … Sapitri, S. (2025). Skills Gaps and Training Needs to Meet Market Demands in the Construction Industry. Semarak International Journal of Civil and Structural Engineering, 6(1), 32–41. Retrieved from https://semarakilmu.my/index.php/sijcse/article/view/714

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 1: September (2025)

Section

Articles