Craft Workers' Experiences with and Attitutdes Towards Multiskilling

This report presents research results from a project sponsored by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation's Center for Construction Industry Studies. The purpose of this project is to determine construction craft worker's attitudes towards and experiences with the labor utilization strategy known as multiskilling. Over 1,100 craft workers across the United States were surveyed as part of this research effort. Of the workers surveyed, approximately 70% have worked outside of their primary trade. Over 79% are interested in learning more skills in their primary trade while 57% are interested in learning skills in other trades. In addition, workers feel that multiskilling will positively affect their work by allowing them to work more, stay on projects longer, receive better pay, create more mentally challenging jobs, and stay with the same company longer. Analysis also indicates that multiskilling allows merit and open shop workers to work more weeks per year and to achieve a better income.