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Ness, K (2010) ‘I know Brendan; he’s a good lad’: the evaluation of skill in the recruitment and selection of construction workers. In: Egbu, C (Ed.), Proceedings 26th Annual ARCOM Conference, 6-8 September 2010, Leeds, UK. Association of Researchers in Construction Management, Vol. 1, 543–52.
- Type: Conference Proceedings
- Keywords: skills; recruitment; selection; building trades; labour; informality
- ISBN/ISSN: 978-0-9552390-4-5
- URL: http://www.arcom.ac.uk/-docs/proceedings/ar2010-0543-0552_Ness.pdf
- Abstract:
This paper reports a qualitative investigation of how those who engage site workers in the UK evaluate their skills. It is based on interviews with 50 tradespeople and managers, covering a period from the Second World War to the present day, and on archival research into a DLO in 1979-1982. It was found that remarkably consistent criteria are currently used by managers and by operatives themselves to recognize whether recruits are likely to have the desired skills and qualities. The main criteria are: personal acquaintance or recommendation; inspection of tools; and the informal trial period. There are differences, however, from the criteria used thirty years ago, which tended to be more formal, and which also included trade union membership.