Digital skills for workplace mentors in construction sector apprenticeships (CONDAP)

Abstract

[EN] Employers in the construction industry are regularly and increasingly reporting hiring difficulties, since the sector is experiencing a skills shortage in spite of numerous apprenticeship schemes. According to the European Construction Sector Observatory, the main reason of this skills shortage is two-fold: a) the inadequacy of VET provision, and b) the low attractiveness of the sector to young people, further hindered by the perception of its limited capacity for innovation. Correspondingly, modernising construction apprenticeships is crucial for the development of key skills and the improvement of the employability of young construction workers. Training the trainers and mentors to become more engaged and involved in the design of apprenticeships and to introduce new methods, digital tools, and innovative content during their teaching practices is essential to make training more flexible and effective. Such an approach could effectively address the misalignment between VET offerings and the demand for skills and innovation in the construction sector. This article shows the focus of the European project CONDAP, whose purpose is to improve learning in the construction sector.