Construction is a critical industry for all economies. We need it for our homes, offices, commercial spaces, roads…it literally defines our lives! Construction workers are the main ingredients of the industry, especially the skilled workers. These include the masons, plumbers, electricians, painters, roofers, plasterers and carpenters among other specialties.
The Kenyan construction industry seems to grapple with a shortage of these skills. It is not as easy to get very competent workers (fundis) especially when handling a sizeable project. 60% of property developers in Kenya cite this shortage as a major challenge, alongside limited access to finance.
The government through National Construction Authority has made some efforts to bridge this gap by training and accreditation. Other private entities are also joining hands to train construction workers, especially in particular specialties of interest to them. The gap is however still alive, as only 34,298 artisans had registered with NCA by November 2019. This limited supply has resulted in the increased daily dues to certified artisans, which has gone up by over 300% from about Ksh 800 in 2012 to over Ksh 3000. The ratio of labour to building cost has also increased to over 25%.
The expansion witnessed in the industry in recent years with major developments coming up, majority of developers have had to work with uncertified artisans in their projects, which in many cases compromises the quality. A reporting by African Development Bank estimates that 75% of artisans in the region are not formally or adequately trained. This is a gap that evidently needs urgent attention. A big question arises when we look at the predominant age groups among construction workers. 48% of them are aged 25-30 years while 29% are 30-35 years old. This, is a youthful age, which is the majority population of the country. Why then do we have this glaring skill gap?
At DezynBild Consult, we have begun a journey towards bridging this gap. We believe that as construction experts in architectural services, engineering design and construction management, our impact goes beyond consultancy to intervene in the major pain points experienced by our clients and other players in the industry.
Get in touch with us! info@dezynbild.com | +254 715 429 997
As it has been said,most of the fundis are nowdays age between 25-30...And the reason behind it is because of desire to know...in some area's you will find teenagers who are skilled workers.......Finally,am sincerely requesting you guys to recruit me as one of your members,am a skilled worker from Siaya...Majorly in Mason.....God Bless you All.
Yes. There's a gap and most projects have stalled. Construction costs have also increased due to the increased labour costs of the existing workers.
You've shortage of the skilled workers really,???... The poor NCA has failed the construction industry which I'll state in your next blog🤥
You 've shortage of the site supervisor building workers really???... The poor N C A has failed th construction industry which I'll state in your next blog
You ' ve shortage of the skill works construction really???... The poor A has failed th construction industry which I'll state in you next blog