National Housing Minister Launches Initiative to Tackle Skilled Labor Shortage and Improve Construction Quality
Housing Minister Maria Browne underscored the critical need to address the shortage of skilled workers in the construction sector, pinpointing the adverse impact of unskilled labor on the quality of work produced.
Minister Browne openly acknowledged the challenges faced by the National Housing agency, emphasizing that although the workforce is sizable, a significant portion lacks the necessary skills to meet the rigorous demands of quality construction.
She drew attention to the prevalent issue of shoddy work, resulting in prolonged project timelines and subpar finished products.
“We’re finding it very difficult to meet our demands as it pertains to skilled labor. What we have now is a very large labor force at National Housing; however, they’re not as adequately skilled as we’d like them to be,” Minister Browne candidly admitted.
To combat this, Minister Browne announced a groundbreaking initiative aimed at upskilling workers and improving the overall quality of construction. The government, in collaboration with the Abis Harrison Center, has launched a comprehensive vocational training program covering essential construction skills such as plumbing, electrical work, carpentry, and masonry.
“It is our hope that, with the Advent of the Harrison Center’s new construction programs, a lot of these individuals would take up the initiative,” said Minister Browne. “The government has decided to cover the costs for these individuals.”
The Minister’s emphasis on addressing shoddy work reflects a commitment to elevating construction standards across the industry. By encouraging unskilled workers to undergo specialized training, the government aims to enhance their capabilities and, in turn, deliver high-quality work on construction projects.
Minister Browne expressed concern about the negative consequences of subpar workmanship, stating, “Sometimes we do have some shoddy work in the finishes, and so it is our hope that with the Advent of the Harrison Center’s new construction programs, this will help the situation in terms of our output and meeting the demand.”
The Housing Minister’s plea for individuals to embrace vocational training not only highlights the urgency of the skilled labor shortage but also emphasizes the tangible benefits for both workers and the construction industry. The initiative is positioned as a proactive measure to curb shoddy work, ultimately ensuring that construction projects are completed with efficiency and adhere to the highest standards of craftsmanship.
In conclusion, Minister Browne’s focus on addressing shoddy work through targeted vocational training programs marks a significant step toward improving the overall quality of construction in the National Housing sector.
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Dungeness…. Who hire them
Trupz!
Pixie trupz!
Get the professionals to do the work and pay them proper. You pay shroudy you get shroudy work.
I know, they gave water based paint to put on fresh wood, so the wood keeps soaking up, the paint and so the work looks shoddy and they provide the paint.
What world do these clowns live in? Don’t they have contractors who oversee the work? Didn’t they know the workers were “unskilled?”
I don’t believe a word Pixie said! What the hell does she know about construction?
Just passing the buck for her incompetence. Like her boss, she does nothing, but come to parliament to just say anything. Sense or nonsense. It doesn’t matter. Just talk. Well, not all of us are that stupid
Having been a construction college lecturer in the UK for several years i can tell you that training young people and learning any type of skilled trade be it plumbing, electrics, plastering or air conditioning to name just a few has no quick fix answer. These trades take many years to learn and master the skill and knowledge required to be a competent tradesman, most apprenticeships are 5 years in duration, it is impossible to upskill workers to skilled workers however keen they are to learn within a short-term vocational training programme. The best you could achieve is maybe a better understanding of the very basics of any trade. Learning any type of skilled trade requires having skilled people to train others, usually young people entering employment after school over a period of years and can only work effectively when combining college training alongside work site experience, there is no short cut or quick fix answer, i am afraid to say.
Having a construction college with day release students attending works effectively and is a proven method to improve construction standards and work site practices, it also allows local tradesmen to attend and enhance their skill levels which in turn benefits the young people learning the basics of the trade.
@Paul Monamy…measure twice, cut once. I’m quite sure, that you know this phrase very well.
I will agree, with your thoughts regarding producing “skilled labour!”
The term, there are three(3) basic staples of life, as in food, shelter, clothing were not put in proper perspective, as we developed our Nation, especially after we became a Quasi Independent Nation.
In part, the Nation is at this stage/phase of lacking skilled labour due to PPP – Piss Poor Planning and PPM – Piss Poor Management, by those charged with managing the affairs of the People, again after becoming Quasi Independent.
The fact, that you mentioned you’re a teacher you’d be aware, that the EDUCATION SYSTEM have failed the CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.
The idea of “hands on” learning, and not only in the Contruction Industry, but the Agriculture Industry is woefully lacking, in the EDUCATION SYSTEM, especially, from early childhood when[sic] habits are being learned and formulated, into norms.
Here are a few examples…
(A)…our culture, as it developed through ‘habits’ from the 1960’ to present, view ‘hands on learning,’ as demeaning, and only fit for a particular class of People, in our well embedded Caste and Class(CLASSISM) Culture. As, a matter of fact, only the TOURISM INDUSTRY’S proponents saw ‘hands on learning,’ to produce maids, waiters, gardeners, dish washers etc were important in the Education System, and even this type of teaching only came about after High School learning.
B…Indoctrination is the albatross which encases HUEman thought processes, and we have being well indoctrinated, again; to believe, that the basics to build anything does not matter. Nothing large is large.by itself. It is made up of smaller and smaller and smaller, to the smallest of particles.
C…to be INDEPENDENT and FREE does not absolve one from not paying attention, to the fact, that WORK(FD) is not necessary. As, a matter of fact, it takes much, much, much more work to be INDEPENDENT and FREE.
D…Our fire parents, that generation right after physical slavery subsided, left US great examples of how to put those three(3) basic staples in, of, through life; food, shelter, clothing in perspective. Yet, we failed miserably at building on the BASICS which they laid, as a footing, to build Our foundation on. Hence, it’s not surprising, that the society(building) which we built is falling apart.
Yes, it’s SALVAGEABLE. However, some demolition will have to take place. Recycle what are recyclable. Raze what MUST be razed, and build again.
What is happening in this alleged CONSTRUCTION BOOM in our Nation of Antigua, Barbuda and REDONDA, is the PERFECT STORM for CORRUPTION under CONSTRUCTION!
Jumbee_Picknee aka Ras Smood
De ‘ole Dutty Peg🦶🏿Garrat_Bastard
Vere C. Edwards
You got what you paid for.So stop your crying,stop your crying now. Those workers,did they take a pay cut while working on those houses.
It’s always good to improve skills. Sounds like a great opportunity for those workers. Would be wonderful to have more quality plumbers available to assist homeowners with setting up effective home water systems during these times of drought.
The comment made by Paul Monamy is fact-based, and I will go a step further and add that not only does it take decades to master a trade the individual must be willing to improve themselves and commit to not only a lifetime of learning and re-learning to hone their craft, but to improve holistically as well.
Sadly, the majority of tradesmen in Antigua & Barbuda who have persued higher education are still in the minority, and I have and will continue to preach vocational training should be mandatory as it is in some middle eastern countries, just as mandatory as doing military service because not only can they maintain and service what they own they can also protect the property they own.
I will like to know how this will be implemented when there are still tradesmen who have never mastered the three Rs of education? Some read at a third-grade level (some education level ended at the third grade) and are unable to communicate effectively unless it is not in dialect, and I refuse to code switch when conversing with these types of workmen because they should be able to communicate effectively in standard English once it is their first and only language they can speak. I personally know tradesman who are masters of their craft but are illiterate and have resign themselves to their lot in life, so much potential wasted because their lack of self-awareness made them unaware they can not only be the contractor but run their own professional construction company on a regional and even international level.
When I first entered the construction industry my mentor made a statement that has lived with me to this day – Some people can only work in Antigua – and it is time we move pass that mentality.
You bloody bastards have taken Antigua out of the hands of Antiguan’s, and now you’ll complaining about poor workmanship, or please 🥺.
Isn’t this the same damn government who had a 1000 Africans walking around with no damn documents and showing up for work on some of these sites?
I live in Florida( and yes I’m always back home in Antigua, here right as I speak) and the same damn thing happened to Florida that is happening to Antigua.
The state had to start imposing strick building codes to combat all the shady work that was popping up all over the damn place, so now Florida is finally starting to get a grip on the issue of shady workmanship.
She call it “shoddy” workmanship, I call it “Damn Shady” workmanship. Giving contracts to these ” shady” contractors, and intern the hiring ” shady” undocumented workers.
Just have to shake my damn head with these people.
Never taking the blame and casting it off to others.
You are directly responsible Miss Minister of housing, directly responsible.
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