course material

1. CONM 7050 Research Methods For Construction Management
Answer:
Construction is a complex and, at times, risky industry. It involves modern and
sophisticated equipment and the construction site environment poses risks to an
individual’s well-being. Young people in construction continue to be an important
demographic within the Professional Construction Industry. However, it is still a largely
untapped market that presents a great opportunity for future growth. One of the key
challenges in targeting and reaching young talent is that there are no clear career paths or
“front doors” into this profession. The decision-making process as to whether or not to
pursue craft careers relies on a number of factors including social norms and skills beliefs,
personal interests, and prior experiences with relative industry sectors. Construction sites
can be hazardous for those who do not understand all the risks and how to avoid them.
Looking at the statistics, the current population of the United States is 64 million people
below age 34, representing nearly 27% of all Americans. Of this young talent, those that are
interested in pursuing careers in construction make up 10%. Demographic information for
this sample included sex, age, ethnicity, education and employment status. This sample
consisted of 431 individuals who are between ages 18-34 (Minooei, Goodrum, & Taylor,
2020). The sample was randomly selected from the U.S. Census American Community
Survey (ACS) 2007-2012 protocols and surveyed by computer-assisted telephone
interviews in English or Spanish.
In general, the results of my study showed that a significant percentage of participants
desired to pursue careers within construction management and sales. The results also
suggest that participants, who have had previous experience with construction work, either
through internships or volunteer work, are more likely to pursue careers in the field. In
addition, the study found that motivations for entering this field vary widely, with some
participants citing job security as a primary driving force and others just wanting to help
out their family or community. Individuals want to choose what is best for their careers. We
all know that; as it has become a common belief, however, there is a great disparity between
what we want for ourselves or for our careers and how much effort we actually put towards
achieving our career goals. This article deals with the application of Theory of Planned
Behavior to understand why young people choose craft careers over other more traditional
career paths such as regular work in a company (Minooei, Goodrum, & Taylor, 2020). It also

2. addresses why youth approach the construction industry differently than other industries
and what the elements of motivation are that account for this difference. The Theory of
Planned Behavior can be used to help you make a decision. If you want to start exercising
regularly, for example, or quit smoking, or lose weight, or learn some new skill that will
benefit you in the future, knowing the reasons why people don't do what they know they
should do can help you in your quest. Theories and models of behavior help us understand
why we do what we do. They are useful in planning, predicting, and evaluation of any action
or course of action.
The biggest take-away from this study was figuring out how to present the different
motivations that participants stated as reason for pursuing a career in construction. For
example: "I want to be able to provide for my family" vs "I am helping my Uncle in his
business". As you can see these are two very different reasons for wanting to pursue a
career in construction. In order for young children to succeed in this field, employers and
educators should consider presenting a more holistic perspective on why young people
want to enter the construction industry (Minooei, Goodrum, & Taylor, 2020). Another issue
that was raised in this study was how work-family interference can affect decisions to enter
the construction industry. There were many cases where participants commented on the
amount of time spent away from family due to their job.
The article entitled "Motivation Related Beliefs and Career Choice: The Case of Construction
Careers", addresses how motivation relates to choosing a career path early in life and how
this affects professional choice later on. It does not state why one person chooses
construction over another industry but rather it explains how a belief about motivation
affects career choice in the future. In this study, the sample size was 160 individuals and all
participants were already in their careers. The researchers took data from college students
who were either currently working or had worked in construction industries over the past
two years (Minooei, Goodrum, & Taylor, 2020). It was found that students have a tendency
to have low perceptions of self-efficacy and high perceptions of outcome valence towards
these careers and they wanted to verify that they were correct in their reasoning.
The author of the article "Young Talent Motivations to Pursue Craft Careers in Construction:
The Theory of Planned Behavior" compiled information from interviews with young
workers in the construction industry. The article found that while some had a past
connection to the construction industry, others did not have any connections to the industry
at all. The author's findings are that many of these young workers are motivated by the
chance of being able to work with their hands, while others want an opportunity for
advancement and growth in their careers. Some were drawn to specific positions within the
construction field because they felt it would be satisfying or enjoyable for them, some
wanted promotions or more responsibility, while some needed a way to support themselves
or their families (Minooei, Goodrum, & Taylor, 2020). The author suggests that to bring in
more young workers, people could try placing ads in local schools and recreation centers.
Also, the author concluded that construction companies should look into creating

3. apprenticeships for young workers, so they would be trained for their position.
Reference
Minooei, F., Goodrum, P. M., & Taylor, T. R. (2020). Young Talent Motivations to Pursue Craft
Careers in Construction: The Theory of Planned Behavior. Journal of Construction
Engineering and Management, 146(7), 04020082.