Mobility in construction management

Within the next few years, the construction management education programme will be transformed from a college of higher education into an advanced federal diploma of higher education. We are accompanying this transformation process on behalf of the Swiss Construction Sector Association. In this study, we examine the alumni’s careers of the HF Construction Management as input into the transformation process - starting with their situation as prospective students to their situation as alumnus after graduation. To this end, we use two data sources from the Swiss Federal Statistical Office - the survey on professional education and longitudinal analyses in the education sector. These analyses improve our understanding of the transformation process and contribute to combating the shortage of skilled workers. Overall, we observe that not all alumni work in the main construction sector after graduation; the main competing sector is "architecture and engineering offices". Initial vocational education and training (IVET) influences the choice of sector. Prospective students with an IVET draughtsmen/women qualification are less likely to work as alumni in the main construction sector than trained bricklayers/road builders. However, whilst relevant IVET is becoming more popular to the number of students transferring to the college of higher education in construction management is declining. Relevant professional experience is also becoming more important. Prospective students work more frequently as construction foremen/women and less frequently as technical draughtsmen/women prior to the college of higher education in construction management. Furthermore, the willingness of alumni to start further education programs after graduation is high. The entrepreneur in construction's diploma is particularly popular. As a result, many alumni continue to climb the career ladder in the main construction sector.

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