Lack of skills and persistence justifies low rate of construction worker employment: DSAL

The lack of professional skills and willingness to learn new skills and techniques were given as justifications in a statement by the Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL) explaining the low employability rate of local construction workers in 2021.

According to the DSAL, in 78% of the cases in which the bureau tried unsuccessfully to help employ workers, they did not get an interview “mainly because they did not pass the techniques test or dropped out of the skill tests [before completing them].” The bureau added that “the remaining [22%] was justified with remuneration or working conditions below expectations.”

The bureau noted that most of the job offers in the sector over the last year were for positions such as construction assistant, formwork carpenter, electrician, painter and plasterer, which do not suit many local workers’ available skills.

The DSAL used this to justify the fact that from almost 5,000 candidates contacted initially, only 2,054 workers (41.7%), took part in the interviews, leading to a total of 1,043 people employed in the past twelve months.

This data shows that only 21.2% of the initial number of candidates were effectively hired.

The DSAL also added that, to increase the effectiveness of job-matching sessions, it has maintained close contact with contractors and construction companies so as to be updated as fast as possible on changing employment needs as construction works progress, and ensure that these workers are hired in a fair manner and have reasonable work conditions.