The Medicare and Medicaid payment process
How can the Medicare and Medicaid payment process close the gap for unpaid patients’ length of stay at a Major Psychiatric facility in the new York Metropolitian area
Intellectual Property
LEICESTER LAW SCHOOL
Midsummer Exams 2021/22
Summative Assessment
Department: Leicester Law School
Module Code and Title: LW3380 Intellectual Property
Word Limit: 1000 words per question
Number of Questions: 6 – 3 questions in PART (A) and 3 questions in PART (B)
Number of Pages: 6
Submission Deadline: Wednesday 11th May, 10:30am
Instructions to Candidates:
Answer TWO questions – ONE question from PART (A) AND ONE question from PART (B).
Each answer should be no more than 1000 words, including references. If your question has more
than one part, you should split the maximum word count appropriately. Penalties will apply for
exceeding the word limit.
Please use Microsoft Word and NOT Turnitin to check your word count.
You are not required to use OSCOLA referencing or provide a bibliography. You should treat this
assessment as a traditional exam.
Your overall mark will be a calculated average of the required number of answers. Each question will
be marked out of 100.
This is an open book exam, and you are permitted to access appropriate resources to support your
answers.
Although you have 48 hours to submit this assessment, you are not expected to spend more than
one to two hours per question. If you have alternative exam arrangements in place by AccessAbility,
you should follow these and submit your work within the designated time frame.
You will need to submit your work as a Word Document via Turnitin.
There will not be a late submission period. Students who do not submit in time will have the
assessment automatically deferred to the next assessment period. For this reason, you are
encouraged to submit your assessment in good time in case of technical difficulties.
By submitting this assessment, I confirm adherence to the Honour Code.
LEICESTER LAW SCHOOL
PART A
ANSWER ONE QUESTION FROM PART A
- Silki is an award-winning painter whose work explores sensitive and controversial themes.
Her new exhibition comprises a series of photographic images depicting cruel acts being
committed against animals. It is being held at Provocative Art (PA), a leading art gallery in
the centre of London. The exhibition has attracted much interest from animal rights activists,
and a series of protests have been held outside PA. At one such impromptu gathering, Kyle,
an influential activist, delivers a powerful 30-minute speech regarding the responsibility of
the state and corporations to withhold financial support for certain kinds of ‘immoral’ art.
A social commentator, Lenora, is in the crowd when the speech is given. Lacking a recording
device, she makes a near-perfect record of his speech using shorthand. Later that night
Lenora posts her record of Kyle’s speech on her blog with a hyperlink to the webpage of PA,
which features a copy of Silki’s most controversial photograph.
Mihail, a lover of modern art, reads Lenora’s blog and decides to include Lenora’s record of
Kyle’s speech in an anthology he is compiling of modern art controversies. On his personal
webpage he publishes a notice about his forthcoming book, which includes a hyperlink to
Lenora’s blog entry.
Advise the parties of their rights and liabilities under the Copyright, Designs and Patents
Act 1988. - John has owned a pizza delivery service in Leicester for over five years called “PIZZAS2YOU”.
Keen to differentiate his business from a local rival, ME2UPIZZAS, John has created several
features which, he believes, gives his business an edge over other pizza delivery firms in
Leicester. His pizzas are not round but star-shaped and are supplied in a box which is
covered with orange, green and white stripes. This colour scheme is repeated on all his
delivery vans. His pizzas are also made with a special herb topping which gives a distinctive
smell when the lid of the box is opened. Finally, his delivery vans have each been fitted with
a special horn which plays the opening few notes of Rossini’s “William Tell” Overture so that
the driver can alert customers that a delivery is about to be made.
John has contacted you seeking advice on obtaining registered trade mark protection. Please
identify any relevant marks and advise John of his chances of success in registering them
under the Trade Marks Act 1994. Your answer should be supported by legislation, case law
and appropriate legal reasoning
LEICESTER LAW SCHOOL - The list of ‘non-inventions‘ in section 1(2) of the Patents Act 1977, and ‘exceptions to
patentability’ in sections 1(3), 4A, and Schedule A2 seek to prevent the patenting of
unsuitable subject matter.
Critically evaluate the scope and effectiveness of one of the ‘non-invention’ exclusions listed
below in section a) AND one of the ‘exceptions to patentability’ in section b):
a) Non-Inventions:
• Patents Act 1977, s1(2)(a) – ‘discoveries’
OR
• Patents Act 1977, s1(2)(c) – ‘programs for computer’
b) Exceptions to patentability:
• Patents Act 1977, s1(3) – inventions ‘contrary to public policy or morality’
OR
• Patents Act 1977, s4A – ‘methods of treatment or diagnosis’
LEICESTER LAW SCHOOL
PART B
ANSWER ONE QUESTION FROM PART B - RotaMota Ltd is a UK based company that specialises in the design and manufacture of
vehicle wheel rims. On 14 March 2021, RotaMota applied to the UK Intellectual Property
Office (IPO) to register the design of a car wheel rim (see figure 1). A UK Registered Design
Right was granted on 20 September 2021.
Pininfarina, creators of iconic car designs for vehicle manufacturers such as Ferrari, Maserati
and Alfa Romeo, have filed an opposition with the UK IPO challenging the validity of
RotaMota’s design registration. They argue that RotaMota’s wheel design does not satisfy
the requirements of ‘novelty’ and ‘individual character’ set out in section 1B of the
Registered Designs Act 1949 in light of the following activities which they deem to constitute
relevant ‘prior art’:
a) On 7 March 2019, Pininfarina premiered their first all-electric supercar, the
Battista, at the Geneva Motor Show. An image of the vehicle’s wheel rim is
shown in figure 2.
Figure 1 – RotaMota’s registered design
LEICESTER LAW SCHOOL
b) On 3 November 2020, images of the RotaMota wheel rim were posted on
RotaMota’s social media pages on Facebook and Instagram by a RotaMota
employee.
c) The social media posts of November 2020 mention the wheel design being
exhibited by RotaMota at a private motor show held in Munich in September - Only a small number of select ‘high-worth’ car enthusiasts were invited to
the exhibition to see the latest developments in vehicle design and technology.
RotaMota now seek your advice regarding the likelihood of Pininfarina being successful in
invalidating their design registration. Please provide a detailed response supported by
legislation, case law and appropriate legal reasoning. - Under the law of Breach of confidence, the test used to establish whether or not an
obligation of confidence arises is often referred to as the ‘notice of confidentiality’ test.
Explain what this test requires and how it can give rise to liability in a wide range of
situations. - Louisa Smit is a talented Dutch silversmith and designer. She is also a keen motor racing fan.
In 2017, she started to make her own jewellery reproducing famous race tracks from around
the world (the right to reproduce the track designs has been acquired by Louisa). An image
of her ‘Silverstone Pendant’ is shown in Figure One below. At first she only sold her jewellery
at motor racing events in mainland Europe, and in late 2017 she launched a website selling
her jewellery at www.louisa-smit.com. Recognising the potential of social media, in February
2018, she set up a Twitter account which she gave the handle @LouisaJewellery. In 2018,
her jewellery began to attract the attention of the UK press. In July 2018, her Silverstone
pendant was featured in a special ‘Formula One’ edition of Marie Claire UK magazine.
Several TV presenters in the UK also began wearing her jewellery. In January 2019, Louisa
decided to set up a new website targeting the British market with the domain name
www.louisasmit.co.uk. As a result, her UK turnover increased from 5 sales totalling £500 in
2018 to 1000 sales totalling £100,000 in 2019.
Figure 2 – Pininfarina’s
wheel rim on the Battista.
LEICESTER LAW SCHOOL
Laura Hamilton is also a talented jewellery designer based in the UK and in early 2017 she
started making motor racing themed necklaces for close friends and family. She decided to
turn this into a business and to call it “Louisa Jewellery Design”. An image of her ‘F1 Car
Pendant’ is shown in Figure Two below. In February 2019, she launched her website under
the domain names www.louisajewellerydesign.com and www.louisajewellerydesign.co.uk.
She also set up a Twitter account with the handle @Louisanecklace.
Louisa Smit became aware of Laura Hamilton’s activities in late 2020 when she received a
telephone call from a customer who thought they were contacting Laura Hamilton’s
jewellery business.
Louisa Smit now seeks you advice on bringing a successful action in Passing Off against Laura
Hamilton.
Figure One – the Silverstone Pendant
Figure Two – F1 Car Pendant
Poster evidence used for the plan
Level 0 Foundation Year Project
2021/2022.
Foundation Year Project
This Assignment Guide should be used in conjunction with the Assignment
Brief. To succeed, you must address each part of the Assignment Brief and
satisfy all the learning outcomes.
General Notes:
● Individual oral presentation – The student will present the poster in class,
with tutor-led support and a time plan. The tutor should mark the student at
the same time in the day.
● Word counts below are a guide – ensure to stay within the maximum word
count, i.e. 1500 words.
● Direct citations of not more than one sentence are not included in your word
count – use your research wisely.
●
● Information in blue ink is only a guide to demonstrate one way of meeting
the assignment’s criteria and remaining within the word count.
Learning Outcomes:
Module Demonstrate an ability to undertake a project involving plan, executing,
analysing findings, and drawing conclusions for an investigation with specified
aims and objectives identified.
1
- Enable students to manage their time effectively in conducting a project and,
consequently, enhance their academic skills. - Enable students to communicate through written and visual presentation
skills.
DESCRIPTION OF THE TASK – WHAT YOU ARE BEING ASKED TO
DO?
Cover page: include the following
Student ID
Module Name
Academic Year Group
Lecturer Name.
Poster evidence used for the plan – 1500 Words equivalent.
It is essential to use the assignment guide in conjunction with the assignment
brief.
Using the research you have carried out in assignment 1, prepare a poster
informing stakeholders about the challenge of the future of tourism,
incorporating a sustainability plan for your chosen organisation. - Overview
- Goals
- Vision
- Past operations
2 - Present operation
- Future operations
Things to do,
Give a brief overview of your chosen organisation. (200 words)
State at least five goals of your chosen organisation, including short- and
long-term goals (100 words).
State the vision of the organisation and briefly outline the organisational values
that support the vision (200 words).
Outline the organisation’s past operations that help achieve the vision
(300words).
What are the current operational issues that ensure the organisation’s sustainable
growth? Consider the impact of operations on the environment and the CSR
activities of your chosen
organisation. Give relevant examples (300words).
State the organisation’s plans for market development and product development
(400words).
Appendix (optional)-includes all other materials not directly contained in the
poster, but these must be referenced in the poster. For example, see Appendix 1.
“DO NOT USE WIKIPEDIA”
Make sure you have in-text citations in the body of your poster, which can be
found in your full references list.
3
4
To what extent has the RMG industry helped in Bangladesh’s sustainable development goals?
To what extent has the RMG industry helped in Bangladesh’s sustainable development goals?
THE IMPACT OF FACEBOOK INFLUENCERS ON MILLENNIALS PURCHASING BEHAVIOURS DURING THE COVID-19 PERIOD THEME 2: BRADFORD GLOBAL CHALLENGE (UN-SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS – SDG12)
Draft required
11 pages + well-structured + cited references
Revision comments
5/10/22
General comment: Please revise:
- Interview questions must be revised:
“Writer has not sectioned the themes with it
He needs to section the questions in themes”. - Feedback is not addressed:
“Can the writer make the dissertation credibility model on attractiveness, trustworthiness and expertise plz? And
then develop interview questions on the concepts.”
It means that a significant part of the dissertation should be rewritten.
- Research objectives may be adjusted (115 words)
- Theoretical framework should be redone (435 words), with new conceptual map
- Results should be rewritten fully (1980 words)
- Discussion + Conclusion and Recommendations may be adjusted as well (1666 words) due to the changes in
research objectives and Results.
Use QA file 843507_rev.docx, as it has been already formatted and proofread.
Map, matrix and research report about two learners
Draft required
7 pages + well-structured + cited references
Description
There are 3 things in this paper- ecological map, matrix( table) and report analysing each learner. All should be
combined to one document. Microsoft word is much preferred.
Must use the headings that are provided in the template. And stuck to the template for map, matrix and
pseudonyms.
In case of matrix headings, headings are not included in word count.
What kind of resources can be used is clearly mentioned in the screenshot I’m sending.
For referencing, use APA 7 format and must use academic reaources.
It requires analysing two learners. Please make sure all the things you use look real, examples cannot be vague.
You can think of any two learners- say one can be you and the other can be your friend. Because you should
know some personal information about them. Examples can be hypothetical but make sure they look real. The
format has to be followed strictly and word count must be according to the format provided. The references
should be of APA 7th edition and all sources should be academic.
Must follow the rubric provided because marking is based on that.
When using academic resources, try to use those which are on university of melbourne library. I am sending all
the screenshots where it is explained what to do in this assignment and how. And, I’m also sending an example
of this assignment but this is only for taking ideas, it cannot be copied because it is the work of some old
student
Examining the impact of competitiveness influencers on destination competitiveness: An investigative study of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) destination competitiveness as an accessible tourism destination
Draft required
8 pages + well-structured + cited references
Description
Writing analysis chapter in the Phd thesis
1- Apply (the solution) i attached for the dataset we discussed about it before.
2- Follow the feedback points i received from supervisor about the data analysis chapter you did such as:
- Analysis needs to use advanced techniques such as CFA and SEM-AMOS.
- In the analysis chapter you need to support your arguments with the literature (This is analysis chapter from
your PhD thesis) for example, when you state that the various index are good you must use the necessary
references in text. ((i hope you do this point in perfect way))
3-check the graduated paper i attached go to analysis chapter as an example to guide you to write the chapter as
what my supervisor want me to do.
4-Also make sure before you complete the nalysis chapter or even the chapter after to read and understand (( My
transfer report ))
5- You recommended me to place order with 20 pages after checking the graduated student paper which my
supervisor asked me to follow the structure of his analysis, it seems 20 pages are too short. Please note that this
will be the final draft of analysis chapter will send it to supervisor and my supervisor will not give me more time
to fix again and again so it suppoused to be perfect with no other comments or mistakes.
6- Please make sure this new analysis is after receiving feedback comment about the previous data analysis
chapter you did so it suppoused to be connected to each other. i know it is totally new analysis but of course it is
editing of the brevious one. So at least some parts supposed to be in.
7- You and Quality team have confirmed and gave a guarntee that all the feedback points will be done in the
same way and structure i asked for, no matter if you thing some points of supervisors comment semms wrong or
good. so we should follow the the same points because i don’t have more time to receive any other strong
feedback.
Finally the most important thing is
understand my transfer report + applying the solution for the dataset + edite the work you did (data analysis
chapter ) following the same feedback points i received from supervisor + check the analysis chapter of the
graduated student (i attached the paper ) it is guidance for writing the thesis as my supervisor said .
Construction Panelling using recycled plastics and waste – rice husk
CONSTRUCTION PANELLING USING RECYCLED PLASTICS AND WASTE RICE HUSK
by [Name]
Course
Professor’s Name
Institution
Location of Institution
Date
Executive Summary
The proposed research seeks to build upon current knowledge through an experimental investigation of a new material made from recycled plastics and waste rice husks for construction panels. The study focused on achieving the following objectives; to analyse the mechanical properties of panels made using recycled plastic and waste rice husks; to investigate the relationship between rice husk fibre ratios and tensile strength, flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, density, and water absorption; to compare the mechanical performance of panels made using different polymer materials such as PVA, polystyrene, and polyvinyl chloride. The polymer composite material will be developed using the standard synthesis procedures. The rice husk loading factors and recycled plastic ratios will be varied to determine the optimal ratio that yields the best mechanical strength and least water absorption. The impact of different rice husk loading factors on tensile strength, flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, density, and water absorption predicted the commercial suitability of the construction panel specimens. The ASTM D 3039 is identified as the best material characterisation procedure for composite materials.
Table of Contents
Climate Change, Global Warming, Population Growth and Biomass-based Materials. 5
Rice Husk Fillers in Composite. 5
Rice Husk and Plastic Composite Materials. 9
Mechanical properties of panels made using recycled plastic and waste rice husks. 11
Matrix Properties and Reinforcement of Polymers with Rice Husk. 12
Cost-Benefits of Rice Husk Biomass in Polymer Composites. 13
Materials Characterisation. 19
Benefits and Limitations of the Methodology. 22
List of Figures
Figure 1 Tensile strength of rice husk fibres (Bisht, Gope and Rani, 2020) 10
Figure 2 Chemical constituents in rice husk waste (Bisht, Gope and Rani (2020) 11
List of Tables
Table 1 Comparative analysis of the chemical composition of rice and coconut husk. 13
Table 2 Relationship between the rice variety and the mechanical properties. 14
Table 3 Research work plan. 20
Background
The background information section highlights the impact of global warming, population growth, and agricultural intensification on the availability of biomass materials including rice husk, which is a suitable filler material for construction composite materials. The section also reviews the impact of different plastic and composite material ratios on mechanical strength, and water absorption. The preliminary outcomes drawn from the background information would help guide the literature review.
Climate Change, Global Warming, Population Growth, and Biomass-based Materials
The emerging concerns about global warming and climate have contributed to the demand for eco-friendly materials to replace the current non-renewable alternatives (Arjmandi et al., 2015). Beyond climate change and global warming, the global population growth was anticipated to catalyse agricultural intensification by 70-110% between 2005 and 2050 to satisfy future demand (Mauser et al., 2015). Cropping intensity and advanced agricultural practices would lead to a higher generation of biomass waste from crops.
The availability of large quantities of biomass waste could help catalyse the development of reinforced polymer composite materials. Based on this worldview, agricultural intensification would have a positive impact on the valorisation, and transformation of biomassinto valuable products, including products, fuels, chemicals, materials, and investments in energy-from-waste technologies (Mauser et al., 2015). The observations made by Mauser et al. (2015) were corroborated by (Daramola and Ayeni, 2020) and (Zaman et al., 2017). Since the production of biomass would increase with agricultural intensification, the development of sustainable and renewable materials for construction purposes, including panels for partition, was a practical option.
Rice Husk Fillers in Composite
The use of risk husk fillers in composites can be traced back to the 1970s (Bisht, Gope, and Rani, 2020). The scope of application had increased as researchers explored new applications. Mosaberpanah and Umar (2020) noted that rice husk was an ideal partial replacement for concrete to create ultra-performance concrete (Mosaberpanah and Umar, 2020) while (Nwajiaku et al., 2018). and ingredient for animal feeds (Nwajiaku et al., 2018). However, the proposed study will focus on the mechanical properties of the material for construction-related purposes.
The selection of rice husk in place of other biomass sources was justified given the material was affordable, widely available, and exhibited high specific strength, low density, and biodegradability (Bisht, Gope, and Rani, 2020). The disposal of rice husks is a challenge in Australia and other countries with large rice farms, considering that 160 million tons of the product are released into the environment each year (Mosaberpanah and Umar, 2020). The estimates provided by (Mosaberpanah and Umar, 2020) were comparable to Chen et al. (2021), who estimated that about 150 million tons of rice husk were generated each year.
Considering that the value addition of rice husk waste was poorly developed in Australia, rice growers in major rice-producing regions such as South-Eastern New South Wales practised field burning (Quayle, 2016). In selected cases, the rice husk waste was incorporated into animal feedstock (Paethanom and Yoshikawa, 2012). Burning rice husk waste is not a sustainable option considering the process releases pollutants into the atmosphere. Beyond rice husks, Australia generates and other developed countries generate millions of plastic waste each year. Cumulatively, 400 million tons of plastic waste are generated yearly, and most are disposed of in landfills and oceans (UNEP, 2022). The scale of plastic pollution justifies the need for value addition, recycling, and conversion of waste into high-value materials.
Research Problem
Even though extensive research has been conducted on construction panels produced using waste rice husks and recycled plastics, there is inconclusive evidence on whether it was possible to optimise the modulus of elasticity (MOE) and reduce water absorption while maintaining high tensile strength, modulus of rapture, flexural strength and impact strength (Ismail, Yassen, and Afify, 2011; Racca et al., 2018; Yamin et al., 2018). Most studies affirmed that the enhancement of mechanical properties involved a tradeoff with performance under different conditions.
Research Question
- Does the rice husk fibre ratios influence the mechanical strength of composite construction panels made from recycled plastics and waste rice husks?
Research Aim
The review aimed to synthesise current knowledge relating to the development of construction panels using recycled plastics and waste rice husk and inform future research on the development of advanced composites for construction panels.
Research Objectives
- To analyse the mechanical properties of panels made using recycled plastic and waste rice husks.
- To investigate the relationship between rice husk fibre ratios and tensile strength, flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, density, and water absorption.
- To compare the mechanical performance of panels made using different polymer materials such as PVA, polystyrene, and polyvinyl chloride.
Scope
The proposed study focuses on rice husk biomass as a filler material for polymer composites for construction panels. The choice of rice husk led to the exclusion of other sources of biomass such as bamboo, algae, and fruit peel waste. The scope of the experimental process encompassed the purchase of rice husk waste from rice producers in New South Wales. The plastic materials were sourced from garbage collection companies; this process was followed by polymer composite materials synthesis. The practical utility of the materials in construction was predicted by the tensile strength, yield strength, and flexural strength; analysis of the surface and cross-section morphology using the SEM and TEM instruments; and determination of the water absorption characteristics.
Chapter Outline
The research proposal has three chapters, namely the introduction, literature review, and methodology. The theoretical background for the study and the fundamental objectives concerning the optimisation of the rice husk and recycled plastic ratios and questions were presented in the introduction chapter. The literature review appraised different experimental data to determine the optimal ratios and loading factors for the rice husk materials. In addition, the chapter outlined the gaps in the body of knowledge.
Literature Review
The literature review builds upon the current body of knowledge presented in the introduction with a greater emphasis on the mechanical properties of panels made using recycled plastic and waste rice husks, the link between rice husk fibre ratios and tensile strength, flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, density, and water absorption, and mechanical performance of panels made using different polymer materials such as PVA, polystyrene, and polyvinyl chloride. The object purpose of the literature review was to address gaps in the body of knowledge and derive new insights and perspectives, which would guide the implementation of the study objectives. The gaps drawn from the research were listed in the final section of the study.
Rice Husk and Plastic Composite Materials
The utility of composites made from recycled plastics and rice husks for construction-related purposes such as in-house partition was assessed based on the following criteria: fire resistance, water absorption, density, flexural and tensile strength in line with established mechanical testing standards (Ismail, Yassen, and Afify, 2011; Yamin et al., 2018). The review contributed new insights on the value addition of plastic waste and rice-derived biomass; this is critical to the conservation of the environment and the reduction of the carbon footprint.
The accumulation of non-biodegradable plastic waste materials had a detrimental effect on soils and the environment, as noted by Yamin et al. (2018) and Maddah (2016). Extensive research has been conducted on composite materials made from recycled plastic and waste rice husks with variable results. For example, Ismail, Yassen, and Afify (2011) prepared rice straw fibre-reinforced polymer composites. The materials had a flexural strength of about 400N and impact strength of approximately 3.8 J/cm2. The performance of the composite was dependent on the polymer – Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based composite materials that had higher flexural strength relative to the polystyrene polymers (Ismail, Yassen, and Afify, 2011). In contrast, composite materials made using rice husk fibres had a tensile strength of 20-35 MPa and Young’s modulus above > 5,000 MPa (see Figure 1) (Bisht, Gope, and Rani, 2020). The mechanical properties affirm the suitability of the composite for construction-related applications.
Figure 1 Tensile strength of rice husk fibres (Bisht, Gope, and Rani, 2020)
The performance of the rice husk fibres exceeded alternative materials such as talc composites. Talc is a widely used filler material with a high aspect ratio that reinforces the thermal and mechanical properties of the polymers. Despite the advances made in the development of advanced composites from different biomass materials, the enhancement of the mechanical properties often involves a tradeoff with the thickness, swelling, density, and the modulus of rupture (Ismail, Yassen, and Afify, 2011; Racca et al., 2018; Yamin et al., 2018). The challenge has persisted with the generation of new materials. Considering that low water absorption and high tensile strength, and flexural strength were vital requirements for durable materials, there was a need for further research and development. In contrast to Ismail, Yassen, and Afify (2011), Yamin et al. (2018) developed an advanced composite material, which integrated oil palm empty fruit bunch in addition to the waste plastics and rice rusks for optimal modulus of elasticity (MOE) and lower water absorption.
Mechanical properties of panels made using recycled plastic and waste rice husks.
Composite materials made from recycled plastic and rice waste husks had variable tensile strength, flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, density, and water absorption. The variations were attributed to the different weight proportions of plastics and rice husk fibres. The current body of knowledge advanced distinct narratives about the phenomena. For example, Bisht, Gope, and Rani (2020) noted that the incorporation of rice husks translated to a significant improvement in mechanical properties. The microstructural changes that contribute to the robust performance can be linked to the high cellulose (35%) and hemicellulose content (25%) (see Figure 2). The chemical composition was dependent on controlled pyrolysis conditions, given organic matter is removed (Severo et al., 2020); this would compromise the mechanical performance of rice husk-based composite materials for construction purposes.
Figure 2 Chemical constituents in rice husk waste (Bisht, Gope and Rani (2020)
Based on the data, it could be deduced that pyrolysis temperatures predicted the chemical characteristics of the value-added product. A contrary phenomenon was observed at 700 oC (Nwajiaku et al., 2018). The effect of temperature on the chemical properties of rice husk waste documented by Nwajiaku et al. (2018) was in agreement with Paethanom and Yoshikawa (2012), who noted that at a higher temperature, there was a notable decline in the biochar yield.
Matrix Properties and Reinforcement of Polymers with Rice Husk
Even though rice husk waste is rich in organic compounds such as cellulose and hemicellulose (Severo et al., 2020), the trace levels of sodium, phosphorous, magnesium, calcium oxides, and chemical composition changes in the polymer structure had a pronounced effect on the impact strength, flexural and tensile strength as noted by Ismail, Yassen and Afify (2011) and Yamin et al. (2018). For example, metal oxides and silica predict the electrical conductivity and pH of the biomass-derived material (Mosaberpanah and Umar, 2020). The observations made by Bisht, Gope, and Rani (2020) and Mosaberpanah and Umar (2020) were corroborated by other scholars, including Nwajiaku et al. (2018). However, in the latter case, the chemical composition of the rice husk waste varied with exposure to different pyrolytic temperatures (Nwajiaku et al., 2018). At temperatures of about 300 oC, the content of silica, calcium, magnesium, sodium, and carbon increased.
A comparative analysis of the metal oxides in rice husk and other biomass indicates that the former had higher levels of manganese, iron, magnesium, and aluminium oxides (see Table 1) (Zaman et al., 2017). The phenomena were attributed to the methods of rice husk pyrolysis, soil characteristics, and harvest conditions (Severo et al., 2020). The oxides predicted a metal adsorption capacity and chemical composition, and mechanical behaviour of the rice husk-plastic composite material for constriction purposes.
Table 1 Comparative analysis of the chemical composition of rice and coconut husk
| Oxide composition | Rice husk ash (%) | Other biomass (%) |
| MnO | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| CaO | 0.0 | 0.3 |
| K2O | 1.5 | 4.8 |
| Fe2O3 | 0.5 | 0.2 |
| MgO | 0.5 | 0.0 |
| SiO2 | 69.8 | 72.3 |
| TiO2 | 1.3 | 1.9 |
| Al2O3 | 1.3 | 0.9 |
| P2O5 | 0.3 | 0.6 |
| Al2O3 + Fe2O3 | 1.7 | 1.0 |
| SiO2 + Al2O3 + Fe2O3 | 71.6 | 73.4 |
| LOI | 8.2 | 9.3 |
Source: (Zaman et al., 2017)
Aluminium, magnesium, silicon, calcium, and iron reinforced the mechanical properties, particularly the tensile strength (Saravanan and Kumar, 2013). The positive link between metals and tensile and flexural strength reported by Saravanan and Kumar (2013) was corroborated by Muni et al. (2019), who attributed the changes to specific weight compositions (6-10% wt). However, impact strength was lower with higher reinforcements, given that reinforced composite materials were less ductile compared to the non-reinforced materials.
Cost-Benefits of Rice Husk Biomass in Polymer Composites
Even though there was strong evidence in support of the integration of rice biochar, contrasting evidence was presented in the literature. Arjmandi et al. (2015) and Yiga et al. (2021) argued that the incorporation of rice husk did not automatically translate to a statistically significant improvement in mechanical strength. The arguments made by Arjmandi et al. (2015) and Yiga et al. (2021) could be attributed to the risk husk varieties – long grain, short grain, hybrid, and organic golden rose medium grain (Chen, Xu, and Shivkumar, 2018). Each rice variety had a unique diameter of the external protrusions, grain length, thickness of the epidermis, epidermis fibre length, and wall thickness (Chen, Xu, and Shivkumar, 2018), which in turn, predicted the mechanical behaviour.
The data presented in Table 2 affirmed that organic short grain rice husk had the lowest specific strength (11 MPa), followed by the medium grain (18 MPa). In contrast, the long grain and organic golden rose medium grain had significantly higher specific strength (>60 MPa) and tensile strength (135 MPa) (Chen, Xu, and Shivkumar, 2018). On the downside, there was no comparative data from other literature. Yiga et al. (2021) reported the performance of different varieties of rice husk, namely K85 and K98, which are distinct from the medium, long, and short-grain varieties studied by Chen, Xu, and Shivkumar (2018). Following the review of the mechanical properties of different rice husk types, the long grain and organic golden rose medium grain were best suited for constructing panels due to their desirable mechanical properties. However, it remains unknown whether the high mechanical properties would remain unchanged with the incorporation of recycled plastic materials.
Table 2 Relationship between the rice variety and the mechanical properties
| Rice type | Maximum load | Ultimate tensile strength (MPa) | Tensile modulus (GPa) | Density | Specific strength (MPa) | Specific modulus (GPa) |
| Organic long grain | 8.7 ± 2.2 | 106 ± 25 | 1.5 ± 0.5 | 1.8 ± 0.5 | 59 ± 14 | 0.8 ± 0.3 |
| Organic golden rose medium grain | 8.3 ± 4.7 | 135 ± 41 | 1.8 ± 0.5 | 2.0 ± 0.4 | 68 ± 21 | 0.9 ± 0.3 |
| Organic short grain | 2.7 ± 0.7 | 19 ± 9 | 0.4 ± 0.1 | 1.8 ± 0.4 | 11 ± 5 | 0.2 ± 0.1 |
| Hybrid long-grain texmati | 12.1 ± 3.7 | 136 ± 39 | 2.0 ± 0.4 | 2.1 ± 0.3 | 65 ± 19 | 0.9 ± 0.2 |
| Medium grain | 2.6 ± 0.9 | 28 ± 9 | 0.9 ± 0.4 | 1.6 ± 0.1 | 18 ± 6 | 0.5 ± 0.2 |
| Long grain | 7.7 ± 2.9 | 134 ± 32 | 2.6 ± 0.5 | 1.9 ± 0.3 | 71 ± 17 | 1.4 ± 0.3 |
| Nylon 618 | – | 78 | 2.4 | 1.13 | 69 | 2.1 |
| Polylactic acid19 | – | 44.5 | 3.1 | 1.3 | 34.2 | 2.4 |
Source: (Chen, Xu, and Shivkumar, 2018)
Considering that the mechanical properties of the long grain and organic golden rose medium grain were higher compared to polymers (Nylon and Polylactic acid), the loading factor for the former in the composite should be higher. The proposal was in line with Yiga et al. (2021), who recommended a risk husk loading factor of 10-30%. Similar percentages were reported in other experimental studies on rice husk-reinforced polymer composites (Yamin et al., 2018; Mosaberpanah and Umar, 2020). However, there was no standard loading factor. This means the loading factor and ratios should be customised to achieve the desired tensile strength. However, contrasting evidence suggests that the rice husk fibre loading factor did not have a uniform effect on the tensile strength.
Morales et al. (2021) reported a loss in tensile strength. The phenomena were attributed to absent/limited chemical bonding between the rice husks and the polymer chain matrix (Morales et al., 2021). Additionally, the large surface energies contributed to the loss in the tensile strength. Various material modifications were proposed to enhance the mechanical properties, including the incorporation of carbon fibre as filler material and water and PLA with alkaline-treated rice husk fiber (see Table 3); this led to the development of rice husk–filled carbon-reinforced hybrid polymer composites (Jena, Das, and Mohapatra, 2021). The mixed effect of the rice husk loading factors on the tensile strength of the polymer composites informed the optimisation experiments for the polymers.
Table 3 Experimental study of recycled panels including rice husk
| Material | Tensile strength | Tensile modulus |
| PLA | 7.35 | – |
| PLA with alkaline-treated rice husk fiber | 39 | 52 |
| PLA and starch | 14.25 | 0.225 |
Source: (Arjmandi et al., 2015)
Gaps in Literature
The following gaps were observed in the literature. First, there was inadequate data comparing the mechanical properties of long-grain and organic golden rose medium grain rice husk before and after the addition of recycled plastic waste. Second, there was limited comparative data about the mechanical properties of K98 and K85 rice husk versus long grain and organic golden rose medium grain rice husk; this had an impact on the proposed study considering different rice varieties were cultivated in Australia.
Conclusion
The literature review provided useful insights into how the rice husk fibre and polymer ratios, loading factors, and varieties influenced the mechanical strength of composite construction panels made from recycled plastics and waste rice husks. Considering that different studies focused on the development of unique materials with context-specific applications, there was no universal loading factor. The ratios were predicted by the desired application of the material. Additionally, the literature review confirmed that it was practical to enhance the mechanical properties of panels made using recycled plastic and waste rice husks through the optimisation of the rice husk fibre ratios to achieve desirable tensile strength and flexural strength modulus of elasticity, density, and water absorption.
Methods
Introduction
The proposed methodology focused on the optimisation of the mechanical performance of panels made using different polymer materials such as PVA, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, and rice varieties, particularly the long grain and organic golden rose medium grain, to achieve optimal tensile and flexural strength and minimal water absorption. An experimental approach will be recommended because there was limited data about the desired loading factor and the impact of rice husk variety on the mechanical strength of the composite panels.
Research Design
Moissenko et al. (2016) described a research design as a plan of action employed to answer specific research questions. In the current case, the primary question was whether the material of interest had satisfactory mechanical strength compared to the existing materials. The proposed research will employ an experimental research design. According to (Panchal and Szajnfarber, 2017), experimental research designs helped to test scientific hypotheses and develop theories. The experimental research design was aligned with past studies on rice husk fiber and polymer composite materials (Arjmandi et al., 2015; Chen, Xu, and Shivkumar, 2018). The experimental setup is reviewed in the next section.
Experimental Set-up
The experimental setup was aligned with established standards for rice husk and recycled waste material characterisation and testing.
Material Collection
The rice husk materials were collected from rice-growing areas in New South Wales. A key focus was on the comparison of the K95, K85, long grain and organic golden rose medium grain rice husk. As noted in the preceding sections, it was necessary to compare the performance of different varieties of rice husks, including long, medium, and short-grain, hybrid, and organic golden rose medium grain because each variety had a distinct tensile strength (Chen, Xu, and Shivkumar, 2018). The rice husk was cleaned off any organic debris and then shorted and dried to remove the excess water. Following the drying process, the samples were ground and labelled before mixing to achieve the desired loading factor. As noted in the literature review, the optimal loading factor varied between 10 and 30%. The theoretical evidence will guide the preparation of the polymer-rice husk ratios.
Materials Characterisation
The material characterisation experiments were conducted in line with the ASTM D 3039 standard for assessing the tensile strength, Poisson’s ratio, and tensile modulus of composite materials, which used extensometers and strain gauges with or without moisture loading at different temperatures. The performance of K95 and K85 rice husk will be compared against the long grain and organic golden rose medium varieties to establish, which had superior mechanical properties. The ASTM D 3039 test helped to predict the force needed to break the bonds in a polymer composite specimen and the force required to stretch and elongate the specimen up to a breaking point (ASTM International, 2014; Intertek, 2022). The ASTM D 3039 standard was preferred in place of the ASTM D 638 for plastic materials and other standards for rice husk materials (ASTM International, 2014; Jena, Das, and Mohapatra, 2021). The adoption of a uniform standard will enhance the reproducibility and reliability of the proposed methodology.
Beyond the mechanical properties, other material properties performance of the polymer composites were evaluated using microscopy techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and tunnelling electron microscopy (TEM), which are liable instruments used to determine the surface and cross-sectional morphologies. The choice of the microscopy techniques is informed by past scholarly studies (Sahiner, 2014; Iyer, Zhang, and Torkelson, 2016). The surface and cross-sectional morphologies and particle shapes and sizes of the virgin and mixed polymer materials will be assessed using the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). FTIR instrument will facilitate the determination of the functional groups after functionalisation, while nitrogen sorption measurement will help determine the polymer’s surface properties.
Work Plan
The proposed research will be conducted in line with the work plan presented in Table 4. According to the work plan, the first step of the research will encompass a preliminary research review and sourcing of the raw materials from rice fields and recycled plastic disposal sites. The next phase of the research will involve lab-based synthesis of composite materials with different loading factors of rice husk and polymers. The third phase of the study will be material characterisation to assess the tensile strength, yield strength, and flexural strength; analysis of the surface and cross-section morphology using the SEM and TEM instruments; and determination of the water absorption characteristics. The last phase of the study will be the compilation and write-up of the final results and the presentation of the data.
Table 4 Research work plan
| Activity | Months | |||||
| May | June | July | August | September | October | |
| Preliminary research review and sourcing of the raw materials from rice fields and recycled plastic disposal sites. | ||||||
| Laboratory-based synthesis of composite materials with different loading factors of rice husk and polymers. | ||||||
| Material characterisation to assess the tensile strength, yield strength and flexural strength. Analysis of the surface and cross-section morphology Analysis of the water absorption characteristics | ||||||
| Optimisation of the mechanical properties | ||||||
| Research report/thesis write-up |
The proposed work plan suggests that the research activities will commence in May 2022. The proposed six months duration might change depending on the availability of the precursors for the composite materials and laboratory infrastructure, among other unforeseen circumstances. The research window will be adjusted accordingly in line with the research plan activities.
Ethical Considerations
The principal ethical issue of concern was a conflict of interest in the optimisation of the modulus of elasticity (MOE), water absorption, high tensile strength, modulus of rapture, flexural strength, and impact strength (Ismail, Yassen, and Afify, 2011; Racca et al., 2018; Yamin et al., 2018). A researcher’s professional judgement during research might be compromised by financial and personal considerations (University of California, 2022). The issue will be addressed through self-funding of the research; this would help to ensure that external stakeholders had no undue influence on the research outcomes.
Benefits and Limitations of the Methodology
The proposed experimental study will have mixed benefits. On the other hand, the experimental approach will contribute new knowledge and insights beyond what is presented in the literature. The new evidence would help establish whether the enhancement of mechanical properties involved a tradeoff between performance and the optimal rice husk fibre ratios needed to achieve desired mechanical strength of composite construction panels. On the other hand, the preparation and characterisation of composite materials were time and resource-intensive. Additionally, there was a risk of errors in instrumentation linked to calibration and sampling errors.
Conclusion
The proposed research will contribute new insights into the utility of recycled plastics and waste rice husk materials in construction panels. In contrast to past scholarly studies, the proposed research will focus on the mechanical properties of the K95, K85, long grain and organic golden rose medium grain rice husk varieties in polymer composites. The scope was justified by the gaps relating to the tensile strength, flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, density, and water absorption of different rice husk varieties in different polymers such as PVA, polystyrene, and polyvinyl chloride given that different polymer ratios, and pyrolysis temperature had a distinctive impact on the composite materials mechanical strength. The focus on biomass-derived fillers for construction materials is anticipated to catalyse the production of affordable and durable materials.
References
Arjmandi, R. et al., 2015. Rice Husk Filled Polymer Composites. International Journal of Polymer Science, 2015, pp. 1–32. doi: 10.1155/2015/501471.
ASTM International, 2014. ASTM D3039/D3039M-08: Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Polymer Matrix Composite Materials. [Online] Available at: https://www.astm.org/d3039_d3039m-08.html [Accessed 20/04/2022].
Bisht, N., Gope, P. C. and Rani, N., 2020. Rice husk as a fibre in composites: A review. Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Materials, 29(1), pp. 147–162. doi: 10.1515/jmbm-2020-0015.
Chen, R. et al., 2021. Sustainable utilization of biomass waste-rice husk ash as a new solidified material of soil in geotechnical engineering: A review. Construction and Building Materials, 292, p. 123219. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2021.123219.
Chen, Z., Xu, Y. and Shivkumar, S., 2018. Microstructure and tensile properties of various varieties of rice husk’, Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 98(3), pp. 1061–1070. doi: 10.1002/jsfa.8556.
Daramola, M. O. and Ayeni, A. O., 2020. Valorization of Biomass to Value-Added Commodities Current Trends, Challenges, and Future Prospects: Current Trends, Challenges, and Future Prospects. New York: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-38032-8.
Intertek, 2022. Tensile Testing Composite ASTM D3039. [Online]. Available at: https://www.intertek.com/polymers/tensile-testing/matrix-composite/ [Accessed 20/04/2022].
Ismail, M. R., Yassen, A. A. M. and Afify, M. S., 2011. Mechanical properties of rice straw fiber-reinforced polymer composites. Fibers and Polymers, 12(5), pp. 648–656. doi: 10.1007/s12221-011-0648-5.
Iyer, K. A., Zhang, L. and Torkelson, J. M., 2016. Direct Use of Natural Antioxidant-rich Agro-wastes as Thermal Stabilizer for Polymer: Processing and Recycling. ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering, 4(3), pp. 881–889. doi: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.5b00945.
Jena, D., Das, A. K. and Mohapatra, R. C., 2021. Thermomechanical Characterization of Rice Husk–Filled Carbon-Reinforced Hybrid Polymer Composites. ASTM, pp. 1–10.
Maddah, H., 2016. Polypropylene as a Promising Plastic: A Review. American Journal of Polymer Science, 6(1), pp. 1–11. doi: 10.5923/j.ajps.20160601.01.
Mauser, W. et al., 2015. Global biomass production potentials exceed expected future demand without the need for cropland expansion’, Nature Communications, 6. doi: 10.1038/ncomms9946.
Moissenko, F. et al., 2016. Types of Research Designs. In Stefan, D. C. (ed.) Cancer Research and Clinical Trials in Developing Countries. Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 29–39. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-18443-2_3.
Morales, M. A. et al., 2021. Development and characterization of rice husk and recycled polypropylene composite filaments for 3D printing. Polymers, 13(7), pp. 1–17. doi: 10.3390/polym13071067.
Mosaberpanah, M. A. and Umar, S. A., 2020. Utilizing Rice Husk Ash as Supplement to Cementitious Materials on Performance of Ultra High Performance Concrete: – A review. Materials Today Sustainability. Elsevier Ltd, 7–8, p. 100030. doi: 10.1016/j.mtsust.2019.100030.
Muni, R. N. et al., 2019. Influence of rice husk ash, cu, mg on the mechanical behaviour of aluminium matrix hybrid composites. International Journal of Applied Engineering Research, 14(8), pp. 1828–1834.
Nwajiaku, I. M. et al., 2018. Change in nutrient composition of biochar from rice husk and sugarcane bagasse at varying pyrolytic temperatures. International Journal of Recycling of Organic Waste in Agriculture, 7(4), pp. 269–276. doi: 10.1007/s40093-018-0213-y.
Paethanom, A. and Yoshikawa, K., 2012. Influence of pyrolysis temperature on rice husk char characteristics and its tar adsorption capability. Energies, 5(12), pp. 4941–4951. doi: 10.3390/en5124941.
Panchal, J. H. and Szajnfarber, Z., 2017. Experiments in systems engineering and design research. Systems Engineering, 20(6), pp. 529–541. doi: 10.1002/sys.21415.
Quayle, W., 2016. Alternative Management of Rice Straw: a position paper for the rice industry. IRDC Project, pp. 1–33.
Racca, L. M. et al., 2018. Composites based on polypropylene and talc: Processing procedure and prediction behavior by using mathematical models’, Advances in Condensed Matter Physics, 2018. doi: 10.1155/2018/6037804.
Sahiner, N., 2014. Colloids and Surfaces A : Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects One step poly (quercetin) particle preparation as biocolloid and its characterization. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 452, pp. 173–180. doi: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2014.03.097.
Saravanan, S. D. and Kumar, M. S., 2013. Effect of mechanical properties on rice husk ash reinforced aluminum alloy (AlSi10Mg) matrix composites. Procedia Engineering, 64, pp. 1505–1513. doi: 10.1016/j.proeng.2013.09.232.
Severo, F. F. et al., 2020. Chemical and physical characterization of rice husk biochar and ashes and their iron adsorption capacity’, SN Applied Sciences, 2(7), pp. 1–9. doi: 10.1007/s42452-020-3088-2.
UNEP, 2022. Our planet is choking on plastic. [Online] Available at: https://www.unep.org/interactives/beat-plastic-pollution/ [Accessed 20/04/2022].
University of California, 2022. Conflicts of Interest (COI) in Research. [Online] Available at: https://irb.ucsf.edu/conflicts-of-interest-research [Accessed 20/04/2022].
Yamin, M. et al., 2018. A preliminary study of the low density particle boards quality using rice husks and oil palm empty fruit bunch with plastic waste adhesive. MATEC Web of Conferences, 195, pp. 1–8. doi: 10.1051/matecconf/201819501022.
Yiga, V. A. et al., 2021. Optimization of tensile strength of PLA/clay/rice husk composites using Box-Behnken design’, Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery, pp. 1–27. doi: 10.1007/s13399-021-01971-3.
Zaman, C. Z. et al., 2017. Pyrolysis: A Sustainable Way to Generate Energy from Waste. Pyrolysis, pp. 1–35. doi: 10.5772/intechopen.69036.
The shortage of skill in the construction industry in the UK
Project proposal
Title: The shortage of skill in the construction industry in the UK.
Contents
Research question and objectives. 3
Construction Industry in UK.. 3
Role of Brexit in the Shortage of Labours. 4
Training and Recruitment Issues. 6
The number of apprentices entering the sector 8
Recessions affect the skill shortage. 9
Research philosophy and approach. 10
Research technique and procedure. 10
Methods of data collection and analysis. 11
Sampling based on the industry. 11
Sampling based on the year of experience. 11
Consent of the organisation. 12
Problem specification
The title of the project clearly stated the area of interest for the research. This research is based on analysing the shortage of skills in the construction industry in the UK.
Background
The shortage of skills in the construction sector has been under debate for the past three years as construction industries have faced a lot of issues related to the decline of the skills in the construction industry. Skilled people are always required in every field and every sector demands skilled people for carrying out smooth operations in the business. The construction industry is considered to be one of the main sectors in the UK in which the majority of the population of the UK is employed. Different people from different backgrounds are being employed at various positions in construction companies (Díaz et al., 2021). It has been seen that in recent year’s construction industries has been facing a shortage of skills as the people who are being hired in the construction companies are not well-trained. Factors that are causing a shortage in the skill in the construction industry include no proper training to the employees by which they can enhance their skills to be a part of the construction company (Adaloudis and Roca, 2021). According to the office for national statistics, the employment rate in the construction sector has been decreased from 2.4 million to 2.1 million in the last three years. This shows that four per cent in employment has been decreased in UK-born workers and almost forty per cent decline has been seen in EU workers. It has been also considered that the ageing workforce is one of the main reasons behind the shortage in the construction industry. When the workers reach the age of retirement, it becomes very difficult for the companies to hire new people who are equally competent and skilful as the old employees. The skills of the workers in this field are very important and it demands potential workers to compete for the tasks. Many operators in the construction sector have reported a shortage of skilled workers in the construction sector.
This research question has great significance as it will give a new dimension for the researchers to analyse the factors which can help in enhancing the skills of the workers. This research will be used by future researchers in the construction industry to develop new strategies for helping this sector in terms of the enhancement of the skills of the workers. It is really important to consider all the factors which can lead to the shortage of skill in the constriction sector as it can lead to great loss in this sector (Badi et al., 2021).
Aim of study
The study aims to highlight the factors which are causing a decline in the skill in the construction sector and how the skill of employees can be enhanced in the construction sector.
Research question and objectives
The research question for the research are as:
- What are the different factors which are the main cause behind the decline of skill in the construction industry?
- What are the different factors which must be considered for enhancing the skills of the employees in the construction industry?
The research objectives for this research include:
- To highlight the importance the skilled workers in the construction companies
- To highlight the factors which are causing the shortage of skill in construction companies
- To highlight the factor which can help in enhancing the skills of the employees in construction companies.
Construction Industry in the UK
The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has announced its latest predictions for how many additional construction employees the industry will need to hire. After accounting for productivity gains and changes in task mix, the total for the five years from 2021 to 2025 is 217,000. These will help to increase the number of people working in the business while also compensating for those who will quit. The economic data that underpins these forecasts are significantly more encouraging than many had predicted a year ago. Then, during the early stages of the epidemic, there was concern that rebuilding construction activity and job numbers to 2019 levels would take at least five years. This estimate predicts a significantly more robust recovery, with construction output rising by 11% this year, followed by a sustained growth of roughly 3% over the next four years (Dixon and Umeokafor, 2021).
Role of Brexit in the Shortage of Labours
According to CITB, as the industry grows from 2.7 million to 2.84 million workers by 2025, an annual recruitment rate (ARR) of 43,000 people will be required. This includes around 400,000 professionals who are generally classed as working in the service industry. Carpenters, bricklayers, and plasterers are among the trained tradespeople in short supply, according to builders and developers across the UK (Green, 2021). As a result of the labour shortage, construction projects are stalling and wages are rising, while material costs are skyrocketing as a result of the wider disruption to global supply networks. According to industry experts, the government’s goal of building 300,000 homes per year will be difficult to achieve without a liberalisation of migrant visas and a significant domestic training drive (Lawani et al., 2021). All of this appears to be quite beneficial, and it is in many respects. While the research acknowledges that a shortage of new hires is a problem, it does not specify how difficult it will be for the industry to retain enough skilled workers to satisfy demand. Because of the pandemic’s situation, conducting surveys has become difficult, and the results have become less reliable. Meanwhile, it’s difficult to separate the consequences of the epidemic from those brought on by Brexit. Even though the fog of confounding factors obscuring a stormy ocean of data, the outline of what could prove to be an iceberg on our way to calmer seas in the form of a huge event can be seen. Brexit has been proved to be one of the major factors in decreasing the number of skilled workers in the construction industries. It has restricted many of the workers from working in different regions as different laws were made for the workers after Brexit. Workers of the construction companies who were from the EU were having additional requirements to be part of the different organisations in the UK. This made it difficult for the employees to be part of the different construction companies in the UK.
Figure 1: UK’s builder’s costs (Source: IHS Markit)
The outbreak was exacerbated by the outbreak, which left an insecure workforce in the area entrenched amid repeated losses, and thousands of skilled workers, mostly from Eastern Europe, fled. Meanwhile, Brexit and the end of the free movement of people between Britain and Europe have shown how reliant the UK construction industry is on the work of migrants to fill gaps (Badi et al., 2021). Official government data show that construction activity dropped sharply in April and May after a surge earlier in the year. While the overall forecast for development remains encouraging, the RICS research indicates that industry restrictions are continuing to weigh on momentum. Since the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union, which reduced the pool of trained employees, labour shortages have been particularly acute. In the last four years, the number of EU construction employees has halved, and contractors who laid-off workers during lockdowns are finding it difficult to rehire them (Turnpenny and Hussein, 2021).
Construction output is forecast to expand 13.7 per cent this year and 6.3 per cent in 2022, despite growing challenges and slowing growth in April and May, according to the Construction Products Association. After a 44 per cent drop in output between February and April last year, a rise in home building in the United Kingdom helped boost construction activity to pre-pandemic levels in the early months of 2021 (Ranci et al., 2021). According to Swain, bricklayers now earn £220 a day, sometimes more, compared to £180 before the crisis. Wages are rising all over the place. Wage increases, according to the prime minister, are a necessary adjustment on the path to the high-skill, high-wage economy that people voted for when they rejected EU membership in 2016. However, there is a risk that inflationary pressures and labour shortages would restrict demand for new investment (Fuller, 2021).
Training and Recruitment Issues
One of the main reasons for the migration of foreign labour is that recruiting and training is a major issue – not just for construction companies, but for the entire sector. The levy-funded industrial training boards established in the 1960s to enhance national skills levels were abolished in the 1980s. The CITB and its sister institution, the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB), which covers heavy engineering workers such as those working on big energy, chemical, and process engineering projects, both survived. The need to preserve them was recognised even in the strongly market-oriented political context of the 1980s, principally to correct a market failure (Loosemore et al., 2021). The idea was, and still is, that if construction businesses are left to their own devices, they will poach rather than train the skills they require, resulting in a poorly trained and inefficient workforce. In addition, training is extremely costly, costing tens of thousands of pounds per qualified individual. Companies need worker flexibility, which explains why there is a high rate of self-employment. And potential recruits know that the uncertainty and risk of repeated layoffs comes from flexibility, which is one of the main reasons British millennials are reluctant to participate (Wallis, 2021).
Given this, it’s logical that businesses would seek out a quick supply of qualified individuals who, by their very nature, are mobile. Furthermore, according to the CITB study, employers perceive international workers as being more skilled and having a better work ethic than many domestic workers. The regulations altered as a result of Brexit, and the free movement of labour came to an end. This does not imply that the route is shut down. New hurdles, on the other hand, will deter some, if not many, EU citizens (Loosemore et al., 2021). As a result, we must assume that all other things being equal, the influx of workers from the EU will be lower. That brings us to the present day. The influx of workers hired in the 1980s is nearing retirement age. It will be more difficult to fill their shoes with talented workers from other countries. When there was previously a unified market for employment, the points-based immigration system creates a barrier for EU workers (Watkins and Hochlaf, 2021).
Supply chains have been disrupted, and some industries and locations, such as office and retail construction, are falling behind while others, such as housing and distribution, are booming. As a result, there are zones of abundance and pockets of scarcity. This helps to explain why, as of early May, there were still 166,600 construction workers on furlough in the UK, with two-thirds on complete vacation and a slew of self-employed construction workers seeking income support. The use of these programmes is disproportionately concentrated in London. Architectural design, engineering, and project management, as well as on-site trades, are all part of the construction sector (Watkins and Hochlaf, 2021). And whether it’s the design of a structure or its physical construction, all of these responsibilities necessitate specialised knowledge. In the United Kingdom, many construction employees are also migrant labourers. According to a recent report by the Construction Industry Training Board, as much as a third of construction firms in the UK now employ tradespeople who were born outside of the UK. As a result, if free movement is restricted after Brexit, the skills shortfall may grow (Wallis, 2021).
The number of apprentices entering the sector
The UK construction industry is one of the country’s main economic generators, but a shortage of skilled workers is a problem for an industry that is more than most dependent on its workforce. The construction industry is considered to be one of the main sectors in the UK in which the majority of the population of the UK is employed. Different people from different backgrounds are being employed at various positions in construction companies. It has been seen that in recent year’s construction industry has been facing a shortage of skills as the people who are being hired in the construction companies are not well-trained. Construction employers and temporary employment agencies are aware of the shortage of qualified personnel; competent professionals in the craft recruitment market are always in need. While the industry remains important for employment, the economy and social development, the lack of skills to drain a recovering market threaten (Bahr and Laszig, 2021). The construction industry is one of the pillars of the UK economy. As we think back to hard helmets and a builder, the company spans a wide range of disciplines including architecture, civil engineering and even Laurence Llewelyn Bowen. Construction is an excellent indicator of how the economy as a whole is doing because of the high cost and risky side of the industry. The development of new projects is slowing in a weak economy and the recovered empire will see investment devaluation. Investments are currently on the rise. New real estate initiatives have resulted in a healthy sector with the longest growth since the last recession. Employer confidence has improved, so it’s a great time to work in construction, but skills shortages are a potential obstacle to further expansion.
According to the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, the condition of an industry hit by the recession has had a significant impact on the number of new entrants to the profession. In the years 2013-2014, there were 8,000 students in the “construction, planning and construction environment”, a number that has been declining steadily for the past five years. The number of completed apprenticeships increased by more than 10,000 in the years 2008-2009, a decrease of 55 per cent compared to pre-recession figures (Stojanovska-Georgievska et al., 2021).
Ageing Factor
The UK population is ageing and the construction industry is expected to lose more skilled workers than any other company. The booming generation of children is nearing the end of their working lives and companies are very worried that younger workers will not be able to fill their shoes. About a fifth of construction workers are over 50, and 400,000 are over 55 to retire in the next decade. In addition, the increase in the number of employees over 60 is the largest for any age group in the industry, with the largest decrease among those under 30. While experience in all workplaces is crucial, trends show currently that the workforce is starting to attract because new employees are unable to meet the demand left by pension Professors (Torku et al., 2021).
Recessions affect the skill shortage
The inevitable redundancies come with every recession and the construction sector is no exception. While skills may leave the sector in the short term, this may have long-term consequences as workers may not be available when the market improves. Construction work has changed in the last decade but reached its peak in 2007 with 2.3 million people. However, after the 2008 crisis, numbers fell sharply, with around 400,000 jobs lost due to a market crash in the late 2000s. Construction was one of the hardest-hit industries, with a large number of skilled workers leaving the UK to work in other countries (Flannery et al., 2021).
Methodology
The research methodology used in this research is primary research in which the opinions of the different business analysts in the construction sector are analysed and the results are based on the data collected from the opinions of these people. Primary research is considered to be an efficient technique for research purposes. The researchers need to use the correct methodology for the research purposes so that effective results are made.
Research philosophy and approach
In this method, different numerical data is collected for the preparation and interpretation of the results. In this research, close-ended questions are asked in the questionnaire and different themes will be made. Quantitative data will help in analysing the depth of the research questions (Driscoll, 2011).
Research technique and procedure
In this research, data is collected from two different construction companies in the UK. The research data is collected by using a questionnaire as the research instrument. Many different types of research instruments can be used for gathering the data but a questionnaire is considered to be the most effective one and in this case, the use of a questionnaire is selected as face to face interviews require much protocol and additional requirements to be fulfilled. For face to face interviews, the researcher has to travel to a specific location whereas the questionnaire can be filled online and can be submitted any time. Moreover, this research demands quantitative data collection and it is very important to collect authentic data and this can be done by gathering the opinions of the people from the relevant field. Quantitative surveying is the best technique and it can be used for the development of the results (Pandey and Pandey, 2021).
Methods of data collection and analysis
The data collected from the questionnaire is analysed by using thematic analysis. Different themes will be made for analysing the data and based on these themes results will be evaluated. The data of the questionnaire will be analysed by using Spss for identifying the correlation between different themes. Data collection is very important for the research as based on the data collection, results and discussion for the research will be written. Data should be collected from authentic sources and primary research is considered to be the most authentic method for the research (Guest et al., 2020).
Sampling
Sampling is the most important part of primary research. This research is based on gathering information from different people in the construction industry. The two main industries used in this research are Costain Group Plc and Homeserve Plc. Both these industries are located in England, UK. Employees who are working in these companies are the targeted population for the research purpose (Driscoll, 2011).
Sampling-based on the industry
The sampling will be based on the name of the industry from which the participant is. It is expected to have 50% people from each of the companies to avoid any biasness.
Sampling-based on the year of experience
This type of sampling is based on the year of the experience of the participant in the construction company. This will show that the authenticity and validity of the opinion of the participant as experienced persons give more genuine and authentic opinions.
Sampling based on gender
Sampling based on gender is done to avoid any sort of biasness in the opinions. It is expected to have the opinion of the females and males equally so that the research could be free of biasness.
Sample size
The sample size for the research should be chosen very carefully as the whole of the research is based on the opinion of the participants. The sample size chosen for the research is 100. fifty participants will be chosen from each of the companies to analyse the research questions.
The period of research
The period for the research will be three months. This will be longitudinal research in which the research will be completed in a long time.
Ethical considerations
Ethical considerations are important for the research process and the researcher must focus on ethics while conducting the research. Following are some of the ethical considerations which are required for the research (Brittain et al., 2020).
Consent of the organisation
This research will involve the two companies and their employees therefore it is important to take consent from the organisation to perform the research there. There are many different considerations that need to be taken care of while researching any organisation. The researcher should guarantee the organisation that none of the personal information will be used anywhere else. Consent of the organisation is an important factor to be considered while carrying out the research.
Consent of participant
Consent of participants is very important for the researcher and every participant should be asked before conducting the research. If the participant is not willing to be a part of the research then the research should not force them for giving their opinion. A consent form should be designed and the participants should fill the consent form before they are recruited in the research process (Díaz et al., 2021).
Anonymity
The personal information of the participant should be kept safe and it should not be shared with any other person. The anonymity of the participant is very important and the researcher should not disclose the personal information of the person. The data of the participant should be protected.
References
Adaloudis, M. and Roca, J.B., 2021. Sustainability tradeoffs in the adoption of 3D Concrete Printing in the construction industry. Journal of Cleaner Production, 307, p.127201.
Badi, D., Papadonikolaki, D. and Sourlantzi, E., 2021. Blockchain-based innovation in UK construction: A user perspective. Eleni and Sourlantzi, Eleni and Ochieng, Professor Edward, Blockchain-based Innovation in UK Construction: A User Perspective (May 12, 2021).
Bahr, M. and Laszig, L., 2021. Productivity development in the construction industry and human capital: a literature review. arXiv preprint arXiv:2104.00129.
Brittain, S., Ibbett, H., de Lange, E., Dorward, L., Hoyte, S., Marino, A., Milner‐Gulland, E.J., Newth, J., Rakotonarivo, S., Veríssimo, D. and Lewis, J., 2020. Ethical considerations when conservation research involves people. Conservation Biology, 34(4), pp.925-933.
Díaz, L., Zambrano, E., Flores, M.E., Contreras, M., Crispín, J.C., Alemán, G., Bravo, C., Armenta, A., Valdés, V.J., Tovar, A. and Gamba, G., 2021. Ethical considerations in animal research: The principle of 3R’s. Revista de investigación clínica, 73(4), pp.199-209.
Dixon, L.R. and Umeokafor, N., 2021. Determinants of smart technology adoption in the construction phase of projects: a scoping study of the United Kingdom.
Driscoll, D.L., 2011. Introduction to primary research: Observations, surveys, and interviews. Writing spaces: Readings on writing, 2, pp.153-174.
Flannery, J., Ajayi, S.O. and Oyegoke, A.S., 2021. Alcohol and substance misuse in the construction industry. International journal of occupational safety and ergonomics, 27(2), pp.472-487.
Fuller, C., 2021. Understanding the impact of Brexit: The case of foreign software corporations in Scotland and South East England. European Urban and Regional Studies, 28(2), pp.173-191.
Green, B., 2021. Industry faces a titanic struggle for skills. [online] ribaj.com. Available at: <https://www.ribaj.com/intelligence/market-analysis-construction-skills-shortage-aging-workforce-reduced-immigration> [Accessed 19 December 2021].
Guest, G., Namey, E. and Chen, M., 2020. A simple method to assess and report thematic saturation in qualitative research. PLoS One, 15(5), p.e0232076.
Lawani, K., McKenzie-Govan, S., Hare, B., Sherratt, F. and Cameron, I., 2021. Skill shortage of bricklayers in Scotland. Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology.
Loosemore, M., Alkilani, S.Z. and Hammad, A.W., 2021. The job-seeking experiences of migrants and refugees in the Australian construction industry. Building Research & Information, pp.1-18.
Pandey, P. and Pandey, M.M., 2021. Research Methodology Tools and Techniques.
Ranci, C., Arlotti, M., Cerea, S. and Cordini, M., 2021. Migrant and/or care workers? Debating the ethnicization of the elderly care market in Italy and the United Kingdom. Social Politics: International Studies in Gender, State & Society, 28(1), pp.47-70.
Stojanovska-Georgievska, L., Sandeva, I., Krleski, A., Spasevska, H., Ginovska, M., Panchevski, I., Ivanov, R., Arnal, I.P., Cerovsek, T. and Funtik, T., 2021. A Brief Report on the Actions towards the Introduction of BIM in the Macedonian Construction Sector. Environmental Sciences Proceedings, 11(1), p.8.
Torku, A., Bayrak, T., Ogunlana, S.O., Chan, A.P.C. and Owusu-Manu, D.G., 2021. Are the Ageing Workforce Satisfied with the Construction Work Environment?. In Collaboration and Integration in Construction, Engineering, Management and Technology (pp. 101-106). Springer, Cham.
Turnpenny, A. and Hussein, S., 2021. Migrant Home Care Workers in the UK: a Scoping Review of Outcomes and Sustainability and Implications in the Context of Brexit. Journal of International Migration and Integration, pp.1-20.
Wallis, W., 2021. Construction stalls as UK shortage of skilled workers bites. [online] Ft.com. Available at: <https://www.ft.com/content/e37e2944-da21-4a2c-af16-9b5c0b70d4eb> [Accessed 19 December 2021].
Watkins, O. and Hochlaf, D., 2021. Skills for a green recovery: a call to action for the UK construction sector.
Developing a Business Case
Project proposal
Title: The shortage of skill in the construction industry in the UK.
Contents
Research question and objectives. 3
Construction Industry in UK.. 3
Role of Brexit in the Shortage of Labours. 4
Training and Recruitment Issues. 6
The number of apprentices entering the sector 8
Recessions affect the skill shortage. 9
Research philosophy and approach. 10
Research technique and procedure. 10
Methods of data collection and analysis. 11
Sampling based on the industry. 11
Sampling based on the year of experience. 11
Consent of the organisation. 12
Problem specification
The title of the project clearly stated the area of interest for the research. This research is based on analysing the shortage of skills in the construction industry in the UK.
Background
The shortage of skills in the construction sector has been under debate for the past three years as construction industries have faced a lot of issues related to the decline of the skills in the construction industry. Skilled people are always required in every field and every sector demands skilled people for carrying out smooth operations in the business. The construction industry is considered to be one of the main sectors in the UK in which the majority of the population of the UK is employed. Different people from different backgrounds are being employed at various positions in construction companies (Díaz et al., 2021). It has been seen that in recent year’s construction industries has been facing a shortage of skills as the people who are being hired in the construction companies are not well-trained. Factors that are causing a shortage in the skill in the construction industry include no proper training to the employees by which they can enhance their skills to be a part of the construction company (Adaloudis and Roca, 2021). According to the office for national statistics, the employment rate in the construction sector has been decreased from 2.4 million to 2.1 million in the last three years. This shows that four per cent in employment has been decreased in UK-born workers and almost forty per cent decline has been seen in EU workers. It has been also considered that the ageing workforce is one of the main reasons behind the shortage in the construction industry. When the workers reach the age of retirement, it becomes very difficult for the companies to hire new people who are equally competent and skilful as the old employees. The skills of the workers in this field are very important and it demands potential workers to compete for the tasks. Many operators in the construction sector have reported a shortage of skilled workers in the construction sector.
This research question has great significance as it will give a new dimension for the researchers to analyse the factors which can help in enhancing the skills of the workers. This research will be used by future researchers in the construction industry to develop new strategies for helping this sector in terms of the enhancement of the skills of the workers. It is really important to consider all the factors which can lead to the shortage of skill in the constriction sector as it can lead to great loss in this sector (Badi et al., 2021).
Aim of study
The study aims to highlight the factors which are causing a decline in the skill in the construction sector and how the skill of employees can be enhanced in the construction sector.
Research question and objectives
The research question for the research are as:
- What are the different factors which are the main cause behind the decline of skill in the construction industry?
- What are the different factors which must be considered for enhancing the skills of the employees in the construction industry?
The research objectives for this research include:
- To highlight the importance the skilled workers in the construction companies
- To highlight the factors which are causing the shortage of skill in construction companies
- To highlight the factor which can help in enhancing the skills of the employees in construction companies.
Construction Industry in the UK
The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has announced its latest predictions for how many additional construction employees the industry will need to hire. After accounting for productivity gains and changes in task mix, the total for the five years from 2021 to 2025 is 217,000. These will help to increase the number of people working in the business while also compensating for those who will quit. The economic data that underpins these forecasts are significantly more encouraging than many had predicted a year ago. Then, during the early stages of the epidemic, there was concern that rebuilding construction activity and job numbers to 2019 levels would take at least five years. This estimate predicts a significantly more robust recovery, with construction output rising by 11% this year, followed by a sustained growth of roughly 3% over the next four years (Dixon and Umeokafor, 2021).
Role of Brexit in the Shortage of Labours
According to CITB, as the industry grows from 2.7 million to 2.84 million workers by 2025, an annual recruitment rate (ARR) of 43,000 people will be required. This includes around 400,000 professionals who are generally classed as working in the service industry. Carpenters, bricklayers, and plasterers are among the trained tradespeople in short supply, according to builders and developers across the UK (Green, 2021). As a result of the labour shortage, construction projects are stalling and wages are rising, while material costs are skyrocketing as a result of the wider disruption to global supply networks. According to industry experts, the government’s goal of building 300,000 homes per year will be difficult to achieve without a liberalisation of migrant visas and a significant domestic training drive (Lawani et al., 2021). All of this appears to be quite beneficial, and it is in many respects. While the research acknowledges that a shortage of new hires is a problem, it does not specify how difficult it will be for the industry to retain enough skilled workers to satisfy demand. Because of the pandemic’s situation, conducting surveys has become difficult, and the results have become less reliable. Meanwhile, it’s difficult to separate the consequences of the epidemic from those brought on by Brexit. Even though the fog of confounding factors obscuring a stormy ocean of data, the outline of what could prove to be an iceberg on our way to calmer seas in the form of a huge event can be seen. Brexit has been proved to be one of the major factors in decreasing the number of skilled workers in the construction industries. It has restricted many of the workers from working in different regions as different laws were made for the workers after Brexit. Workers of the construction companies who were from the EU were having additional requirements to be part of the different organisations in the UK. This made it difficult for the employees to be part of the different construction companies in the UK.
Figure 1: UK’s builder’s costs (Source: IHS Markit)
The outbreak was exacerbated by the outbreak, which left an insecure workforce in the area entrenched amid repeated losses, and thousands of skilled workers, mostly from Eastern Europe, fled. Meanwhile, Brexit and the end of the free movement of people between Britain and Europe have shown how reliant the UK construction industry is on the work of migrants to fill gaps (Badi et al., 2021). Official government data show that construction activity dropped sharply in April and May after a surge earlier in the year. While the overall forecast for development remains encouraging, the RICS research indicates that industry restrictions are continuing to weigh on momentum. Since the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union, which reduced the pool of trained employees, labour shortages have been particularly acute. In the last four years, the number of EU construction employees has halved, and contractors who laid-off workers during lockdowns are finding it difficult to rehire them (Turnpenny and Hussein, 2021).
Construction output is forecast to expand 13.7 per cent this year and 6.3 per cent in 2022, despite growing challenges and slowing growth in April and May, according to the Construction Products Association. After a 44 per cent drop in output between February and April last year, a rise in home building in the United Kingdom helped boost construction activity to pre-pandemic levels in the early months of 2021 (Ranci et al., 2021). According to Swain, bricklayers now earn £220 a day, sometimes more, compared to £180 before the crisis. Wages are rising all over the place. Wage increases, according to the prime minister, are a necessary adjustment on the path to the high-skill, high-wage economy that people voted for when they rejected EU membership in 2016. However, there is a risk that inflationary pressures and labour shortages would restrict demand for new investment (Fuller, 2021).
Training and Recruitment Issues
One of the main reasons for the migration of foreign labour is that recruiting and training is a major issue – not just for construction companies, but for the entire sector. The levy-funded industrial training boards established in the 1960s to enhance national skills levels were abolished in the 1980s. The CITB and its sister institution, the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB), which covers heavy engineering workers such as those working on big energy, chemical, and process engineering projects, both survived. The need to preserve them was recognised even in the strongly market-oriented political context of the 1980s, principally to correct a market failure (Loosemore et al., 2021). The idea was, and still is, that if construction businesses are left to their own devices, they will poach rather than train the skills they require, resulting in a poorly trained and inefficient workforce. In addition, training is extremely costly, costing tens of thousands of pounds per qualified individual. Companies need worker flexibility, which explains why there is a high rate of self-employment. And potential recruits know that the uncertainty and risk of repeated layoffs comes from flexibility, which is one of the main reasons British millennials are reluctant to participate (Wallis, 2021).
Given this, it’s logical that businesses would seek out a quick supply of qualified individuals who, by their very nature, are mobile. Furthermore, according to the CITB study, employers perceive international workers as being more skilled and having a better work ethic than many domestic workers. The regulations altered as a result of Brexit, and the free movement of labour came to an end. This does not imply that the route is shut down. New hurdles, on the other hand, will deter some, if not many, EU citizens (Loosemore et al., 2021). As a result, we must assume that all other things being equal, the influx of workers from the EU will be lower. That brings us to the present day. The influx of workers hired in the 1980s is nearing retirement age. It will be more difficult to fill their shoes with talented workers from other countries. When there was previously a unified market for employment, the points-based immigration system creates a barrier for EU workers (Watkins and Hochlaf, 2021).
Supply chains have been disrupted, and some industries and locations, such as office and retail construction, are falling behind while others, such as housing and distribution, are booming. As a result, there are zones of abundance and pockets of scarcity. This helps to explain why, as of early May, there were still 166,600 construction workers on furlough in the UK, with two-thirds on complete vacation and a slew of self-employed construction workers seeking income support. The use of these programmes is disproportionately concentrated in London. Architectural design, engineering, and project management, as well as on-site trades, are all part of the construction sector (Watkins and Hochlaf, 2021). And whether it’s the design of a structure or its physical construction, all of these responsibilities necessitate specialised knowledge. In the United Kingdom, many construction employees are also migrant labourers. According to a recent report by the Construction Industry Training Board, as much as a third of construction firms in the UK now employ tradespeople who were born outside of the UK. As a result, if free movement is restricted after Brexit, the skills shortfall may grow (Wallis, 2021).
The number of apprentices entering the sector
The UK construction industry is one of the country’s main economic generators, but a shortage of skilled workers is a problem for an industry that is more than most dependent on its workforce. The construction industry is considered to be one of the main sectors in the UK in which the majority of the population of the UK is employed. Different people from different backgrounds are being employed at various positions in construction companies. It has been seen that in recent year’s construction industry has been facing a shortage of skills as the people who are being hired in the construction companies are not well-trained. Construction employers and temporary employment agencies are aware of the shortage of qualified personnel; competent professionals in the craft recruitment market are always in need. While the industry remains important for employment, the economy and social development, the lack of skills to drain a recovering market threaten (Bahr and Laszig, 2021). The construction industry is one of the pillars of the UK economy. As we think back to hard helmets and a builder, the company spans a wide range of disciplines including architecture, civil engineering and even Laurence Llewelyn Bowen. Construction is an excellent indicator of how the economy as a whole is doing because of the high cost and risky side of the industry. The development of new projects is slowing in a weak economy and the recovered empire will see investment devaluation. Investments are currently on the rise. New real estate initiatives have resulted in a healthy sector with the longest growth since the last recession. Employer confidence has improved, so it’s a great time to work in construction, but skills shortages are a potential obstacle to further expansion.
According to the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, the condition of an industry hit by the recession has had a significant impact on the number of new entrants to the profession. In the years 2013-2014, there were 8,000 students in the “construction, planning and construction environment”, a number that has been declining steadily for the past five years. The number of completed apprenticeships increased by more than 10,000 in the years 2008-2009, a decrease of 55 per cent compared to pre-recession figures (Stojanovska-Georgievska et al., 2021).
Ageing Factor
The UK population is ageing and the construction industry is expected to lose more skilled workers than any other company. The booming generation of children is nearing the end of their working lives and companies are very worried that younger workers will not be able to fill their shoes. About a fifth of construction workers are over 50, and 400,000 are over 55 to retire in the next decade. In addition, the increase in the number of employees over 60 is the largest for any age group in the industry, with the largest decrease among those under 30. While experience in all workplaces is crucial, trends show currently that the workforce is starting to attract because new employees are unable to meet the demand left by pension Professors (Torku et al., 2021).
Recessions affect the skill shortage
The inevitable redundancies come with every recession and the construction sector is no exception. While skills may leave the sector in the short term, this may have long-term consequences as workers may not be available when the market improves. Construction work has changed in the last decade but reached its peak in 2007 with 2.3 million people. However, after the 2008 crisis, numbers fell sharply, with around 400,000 jobs lost due to a market crash in the late 2000s. Construction was one of the hardest-hit industries, with a large number of skilled workers leaving the UK to work in other countries (Flannery et al., 2021).
Methodology
The research methodology used in this research is primary research in which the opinions of the different business analysts in the construction sector are analysed and the results are based on the data collected from the opinions of these people. Primary research is considered to be an efficient technique for research purposes. The researchers need to use the correct methodology for the research purposes so that effective results are made.
Research philosophy and approach
In this method, different numerical data is collected for the preparation and interpretation of the results. In this research, close-ended questions are asked in the questionnaire and different themes will be made. Quantitative data will help in analysing the depth of the research questions (Driscoll, 2011).
Research technique and procedure
In this research, data is collected from two different construction companies in the UK. The research data is collected by using a questionnaire as the research instrument. Many different types of research instruments can be used for gathering the data but a questionnaire is considered to be the most effective one and in this case, the use of a questionnaire is selected as face to face interviews require much protocol and additional requirements to be fulfilled. For face to face interviews, the researcher has to travel to a specific location whereas the questionnaire can be filled online and can be submitted any time. Moreover, this research demands quantitative data collection and it is very important to collect authentic data and this can be done by gathering the opinions of the people from the relevant field. Quantitative surveying is the best technique and it can be used for the development of the results (Pandey and Pandey, 2021).
Methods of data collection and analysis
The data collected from the questionnaire is analysed by using thematic analysis. Different themes will be made for analysing the data and based on these themes results will be evaluated. The data of the questionnaire will be analysed by using Spss for identifying the correlation between different themes. Data collection is very important for the research as based on the data collection, results and discussion for the research will be written. Data should be collected from authentic sources and primary research is considered to be the most authentic method for the research (Guest et al., 2020).
Sampling
Sampling is the most important part of primary research. This research is based on gathering information from different people in the construction industry. The two main industries used in this research are Costain Group Plc and Homeserve Plc. Both these industries are located in England, UK. Employees who are working in these companies are the targeted population for the research purpose (Driscoll, 2011).
Sampling-based on the industry
The sampling will be based on the name of the industry from which the participant is. It is expected to have 50% people from each of the companies to avoid any biasness.
Sampling-based on the year of experience
This type of sampling is based on the year of the experience of the participant in the construction company. This will show that the authenticity and validity of the opinion of the participant as experienced persons give more genuine and authentic opinions.
Sampling based on gender
Sampling based on gender is done to avoid any sort of biasness in the opinions. It is expected to have the opinion of the females and males equally so that the research could be free of biasness.
Sample size
The sample size for the research should be chosen very carefully as the whole of the research is based on the opinion of the participants. The sample size chosen for the research is 100. fifty participants will be chosen from each of the companies to analyse the research questions.
The period of research
The period for the research will be three months. This will be longitudinal research in which the research will be completed in a long time.
Ethical considerations
Ethical considerations are important for the research process and the researcher must focus on ethics while conducting the research. Following are some of the ethical considerations which are required for the research (Brittain et al., 2020).
Consent of the organisation
This research will involve the two companies and their employees therefore it is important to take consent from the organisation to perform the research there. There are many different considerations that need to be taken care of while researching any organisation. The researcher should guarantee the organisation that none of the personal information will be used anywhere else. Consent of the organisation is an important factor to be considered while carrying out the research.
Consent of participant
Consent of participants is very important for the researcher and every participant should be asked before conducting the research. If the participant is not willing to be a part of the research then the research should not force them for giving their opinion. A consent form should be designed and the participants should fill the consent form before they are recruited in the research process (Díaz et al., 2021).
Anonymity
The personal information of the participant should be kept safe and it should not be shared with any other person. The anonymity of the participant is very important and the researcher should not disclose the personal information of the person. The data of the participant should be protected.
References
Adaloudis, M. and Roca, J.B., 2021. Sustainability tradeoffs in the adoption of 3D Concrete Printing in the construction industry. Journal of Cleaner Production, 307, p.127201.
Badi, D., Papadonikolaki, D. and Sourlantzi, E., 2021. Blockchain-based innovation in UK construction: A user perspective. Eleni and Sourlantzi, Eleni and Ochieng, Professor Edward, Blockchain-based Innovation in UK Construction: A User Perspective (May 12, 2021).
Bahr, M. and Laszig, L., 2021. Productivity development in the construction industry and human capital: a literature review. arXiv preprint arXiv:2104.00129.
Brittain, S., Ibbett, H., de Lange, E., Dorward, L., Hoyte, S., Marino, A., Milner‐Gulland, E.J., Newth, J., Rakotonarivo, S., Veríssimo, D. and Lewis, J., 2020. Ethical considerations when conservation research involves people. Conservation Biology, 34(4), pp.925-933.
Díaz, L., Zambrano, E., Flores, M.E., Contreras, M., Crispín, J.C., Alemán, G., Bravo, C., Armenta, A., Valdés, V.J., Tovar, A. and Gamba, G., 2021. Ethical considerations in animal research: The principle of 3R’s. Revista de investigación clínica, 73(4), pp.199-209.
Dixon, L.R. and Umeokafor, N., 2021. Determinants of smart technology adoption in the construction phase of projects: a scoping study of the United Kingdom.
Driscoll, D.L., 2011. Introduction to primary research: Observations, surveys, and interviews. Writing spaces: Readings on writing, 2, pp.153-174.
Flannery, J., Ajayi, S.O. and Oyegoke, A.S., 2021. Alcohol and substance misuse in the construction industry. International journal of occupational safety and ergonomics, 27(2), pp.472-487.
Fuller, C., 2021. Understanding the impact of Brexit: The case of foreign software corporations in Scotland and South East England. European Urban and Regional Studies, 28(2), pp.173-191.
Green, B., 2021. Industry faces a titanic struggle for skills. [online] ribaj.com. Available at: <https://www.ribaj.com/intelligence/market-analysis-construction-skills-shortage-aging-workforce-reduced-immigration> [Accessed 19 December 2021].
Guest, G., Namey, E. and Chen, M., 2020. A simple method to assess and report thematic saturation in qualitative research. PLoS One, 15(5), p.e0232076.
Lawani, K., McKenzie-Govan, S., Hare, B., Sherratt, F. and Cameron, I., 2021. Skill shortage of bricklayers in Scotland. Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology.
Loosemore, M., Alkilani, S.Z. and Hammad, A.W., 2021. The job-seeking experiences of migrants and refugees in the Australian construction industry. Building Research & Information, pp.1-18.
Pandey, P. and Pandey, M.M., 2021. Research Methodology Tools and Techniques.
Ranci, C., Arlotti, M., Cerea, S. and Cordini, M., 2021. Migrant and/or care workers? Debating the ethnicization of the elderly care market in Italy and the United Kingdom. Social Politics: International Studies in Gender, State & Society, 28(1), pp.47-70.
Stojanovska-Georgievska, L., Sandeva, I., Krleski, A., Spasevska, H., Ginovska, M., Panchevski, I., Ivanov, R., Arnal, I.P., Cerovsek, T. and Funtik, T., 2021. A Brief Report on the Actions towards the Introduction of BIM in the Macedonian Construction Sector. Environmental Sciences Proceedings, 11(1), p.8.
Torku, A., Bayrak, T., Ogunlana, S.O., Chan, A.P.C. and Owusu-Manu, D.G., 2021. Are the Ageing Workforce Satisfied with the Construction Work Environment?. In Collaboration and Integration in Construction, Engineering, Management and Technology (pp. 101-106). Springer, Cham.
Turnpenny, A. and Hussein, S., 2021. Migrant Home Care Workers in the UK: a Scoping Review of Outcomes and Sustainability and Implications in the Context of Brexit. Journal of International Migration and Integration, pp.1-20.
Wallis, W., 2021. Construction stalls as UK shortage of skilled workers bites. [online] Ft.com. Available at: <https://www.ft.com/content/e37e2944-da21-4a2c-af16-9b5c0b70d4eb> [Accessed 19 December 2021].
Watkins, O. and Hochlaf, D., 2021. Skills for a green recovery: a call to action for the UK construction sector.
