Improving Employability Skills Through a Web-Based Work Integrated Learning Database for Construction Students

Employability and Unemployment continues to be dire issues that Nigerian youth are faced with daily in a saturated employment market. Whereas, the use of work-integrated learning can help bridge the gap by increasing employability skills among students. The study examined the benefits of having a work-integrated learning (WIL) program for students in the construction field. Therefore, the study developed a framework for improving employability skills through a web-based work integrated learning database for construction students. Using a system block diagram, use case diagram and activity diagram, the study illustrated the functional requirement needed for the development of the WIL platform. The WIL platform is a web-based system pooling submission of available WIL positions from employers in construction businesses and former WIL students in order for prospective WIL students to access possible openings where they can learn in a workplace environment. The methodology of this research includes using the combination of HTML, CSS and the C-Sharp programming language for the interface design and server side scripting while MySQL was the database platform used for storing and retrieving the data used for the application. In conclusion, the study designed a WIL platform for construction students. The use of the WIL platform is intended to encourage employability of construction students by ensuring that they are adequately engaged in a work place training.