Appraising the role of digital technology in training and upskilling building artisans to achieve Sustainable Development Goals

Purpose The advent and usage of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) in design impacts project outcomes and may improve the achievement of some building project-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Studies regarding artisans’ preparedness to embrace digitalised tools and equipment in training and upskilling are yet to receive in-depth research. This study provides insight into underlying hindrances affecting Nigerian building artisans regarding digitalised tools and equipment and proffers measures to improve the usage of training and upskilling artisans and, by extension, improve the achievement of SDGs. Design/methodology/approach The primary data encompasses face-to-face semi-structured interviews with 44 participants in Nigeria who are knowledgeable in digitalised tools and equipment, building artisans and SDGs. The researchers adopted a thematic analysis to analyse them. Findings Findings identified a lack of artisans’ awareness, low educational background of artisans, absence of digital training centres, mechanised construction, building artisans’ mentors unwilling to align (apprenticeship), cost of adopting the technologies and usage, building artisans’ strong resistance to change and artisans’ low knowledge in tools and equipment that are digitally driven as the major issues facing digital training and upskilling building artisans on site. This research suggested measures to improve the usage of digital tools and the achievement of SDGs. Originality/value This study is pioneering research to connect the role of digitalised tools and equipment in training and upskilling building artisans with achieving SDGs in the Nigerian context. This connection encouragingly fills a gap in digitalised tools and equipment’s role in artisans’ skills development and achieving building project-related SDGs literature.