Minister: Construction Re-Training

Bermuda’s construction workers must make themselves marketable in these “sobering” economic times by continuously training and re-training to upgrade their skills, Economy, Trade & Industry Minister Kim Wilson said this morning [Dec 7].

In a joint press conference with Construction Association of Bermuda vice-president Charles Dunstan, Minister Wilson urged Bermudian construction workers to take full advantage of educational initiatives to land the jobs which do exist — pointing out a sharp decline in new building projects in the last two years meant there was increased competition for available employment openings and only the best qualified workers were being hired.

“Our goal today is to …must encourage construction industry professionals to accept the challenge of becoming competitive,” she said. “They must want to gain the technical and soft skills needed to become more employable.

“The Construction Association has argued that growing numbers of local tradesmen are proficient and skilled at traditional methods of building. Yet, more and more, new construction is reliant upon the use of new technologies.  Like any other industry, tradesmen must continuously upgrade their skills and certifications. Over the past decade however there has been such an abundance of work that tradesmen have not had the luxury of time to apply to the process of continuous learning. Some believe that as a result, local tradesmen are falling behind other jurisdictions with respect to trade attaining certifications and learning new skills. So in an effort to reduce our reliance on foreign expertise in this area of industry we are here today to appeal to those construction industry professionals to take full advantage of the slow period to upgrade their skills, become certified in their field and dedicate themselves to a path of continuous learning.”

Mr. Dunstan encouraged construction workers to sign-up for National Centre for Construction Education and Research programmes on offer at the Bermuda College, saying the fact masonry remained the highest-subscribed category for construction industry work permits underscored that Bermudians were missing out on career opportunities in the sector.

Minister Wilson’s full statement follows:

Ladies and gentlemen I don’t need to tell you that the economic times that we are facing both locally and globally are unprecedented and are cause for continued monitoring. For the past two years, governments worldwide have been severely tested economically, and Bermuda has not been immune. The global financial challenges have had a trickledown effect in many areas that fuel our economy, including international business, retail, tourism, the real estate market and yes the labour and trade industry.

These have been sobering times indeed and without question, a challenging economic environment has meant a decrease of employment opportunities in Bermuda. For our part, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry are employing all available resources to ensure that those who find themselves facing hardships in the employment arena can come to us and get the retraining support they need in this current climate.  But Government can only do so much. If we are to successfully navigate through these seasons of uncertainty, it will take the collective efforts of all in the community to buoy our economy, particularly our employers.

That’s why I’m extremely pleased to be joined today by Mr. Charles Dunstan, Vice President of the Construction Association. Their commitment to Bermuda’s workforce is tangible evidence of the true dedication of our local industry partners in that they are ensuring the sustainability of our country by providing learning and development opportunities to Bermudians. In a few moments, I will invite the President of the Construction Association to share more about the National Centre for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) offered via the Bermuda College but first I’d like to speak to the training opportunities for qualified tradesmen to enhance their skill set.

Ladies and gentlemen, the construction industry is a vital contributor to our economy and a significant employer of local tradesmen. The slowdown in the construction industry for both residential and commercial development has been widely discussed this year – and with good reason. Between 2008 and 2009 the value of new projects decreased by 38%. The value of work put in place during the same period decreased by 37%. As large projects draw to a close, shrinkage in construction is likely to continue in the short-term before new projects come online. So our goal today is to ensure that our workforce, more specifically, our tradesmen are prepared and well positioned to take advantage of the eventual upswing. As such we must encourage construction industry professionals, to accept the challenge of becoming competitive. They must want to gain the technical and soft skills needed to become more employable.

The Construction Association has argued that growing numbers of local tradesmen are proficient and skilled at traditional methods of building. Yet, more and more, new construction is reliant upon the use of new technologies.  Like any other industry, tradesmen must continuously upgrade their skills and certifications. Over the past decade however there has been such an abundance of work that tradesmen have not had the luxury of time to apply to the process of continuous learning. Some believe that as a result, local tradesmen are falling behind other jurisdictions with respect to trade attaining certifications and learning new skills. So in an effort to reduce our reliance on foreign expertise in this area of industry we are here today to appeal to those construction industry professionals to take full advantage of the slow period to upgrade their skills, become certified in their field and dedicate themselves to a path of continuous learning.

The NTB is here to assist. The NTB has engaged in a variety of initiatives to upgrade workers skills during this period so that they are well positioned to assume those new jobs that will materialise once the economy recovers. As it relates to this initiative, the NTB has prepared a skills assessment programme designed to identify the certification and training needs of the industry. In order for this programme to be effective, minimum cohorts of ten or more are required to advance industry specific certification courses and training programmes. The Ministry has given consideration to upcoming capital development projects and is working with various entities to identify construction methods to be used as well as the skills and certifications that will be required. Our goal is to ensure that a pool of skilled local talent is available to contractors to participate at all levels for future projects. Professional development is just as relevant to the construction industry as it is in other profession. Entry level workers such as labourers who are committed to the industry can also commence the journey to becoming certified in their area of interest.

In this instance, we encourage those entry level members of the construction industry, to sign up for the relevant programmes offered at the National Centre for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) at the Bermuda College. I think it’s important to note that a high school graduation certificate is NOT a prerequisite for this programme as this same programme is currently being offered in the senior secondary schools in Bermuda. Finally, ladies and gentlemen, if there is one single message I would like to leave with you today it would be this.

Making ourselves marketable during this period, involves training and retraining if we are to stay competitive in the job market. This is not just applicable to the construction industry. It should be our collective goal to have a community that is satisfied that all services in all industries make an effective contribution to Bermuda. A community that has a labour force adequately trained to meet the demands of the economy.  If there is anyone who would like to discuss upgrading their training skills, I encourage you to please contact the NTB so that they can assist you. I now invite, Mr. Charles Dunstan, Vice President of the Construction Association of Bermuda to provide an overview of the NCCER programme. Thank you.

Charles Dunstan’s full statement follows:

Thank you Minister Wilson, and good morning.

The current level of slowdown is one that most of us in the industry have not experienced in our lifetime.  But with this comes opportunity.  It forces us to look at things differently. We have a Minister who is listening intently to what various stakeholders have to say, especially on how to best position Bermudians to capitalise on whatever jobs are available.

Most of our businesses would be considered relatively small in most jurisdictions.  This financial size does not provide individual firms with the ability to spend much time in professional training. Tradesmen are expected to have the requisite skills when hired.  So where does an interested worker go to find these skills?

One way is to learn on the job, through years of working your way up, enthusiastically learning from the skilled workers around you, while fulfilling a lesser skilled position. One of the problems with this approach is, when times are booming, as they have been, we too often promote an enthusiastic worker before he has really learned the full scope of his trade.

When times are slow, this leaves us with a pool of under-skilled, but still highly paid workers.  This is not a sustainable business model for an owner. The other option to establish yourself in any career is EDUCATION. Anyone with even a cursory knowledge of construction in Bermuda knows that for many years there has been a lack of apprenticeship schemes, training programs and trade certification.

Some years ago, our predecessors at the Construction Association of Bermuda, identified this gap in our education system as an obstacle for Bermudians wanting to find successful careers within the construction industry. The NCCER, out of Florida, was identified as a potential solution.  The National Centre for Construction Education and Research is a not for profit educational foundation, created to develop standardised construction curricula with portable credentials. The NCCER process involves a standardised curriculum, a national registry of qualified tradesmen, assessment, and certification.

It not only provides an educational opportunity, but a resource to unions and employers alike, to determine an employment candidate’s credentials.

The Construction Association of Bermuda is the accredited sponsor of the NCCER on the island.  In partnership with the National Training Board, courses are currently offered at the Bermuda College, the Berkeley Institute, and Cedarbridge Academy. The High Schools offer the initial core curriculum, which provides students with a look at each of the core trades:  masonry, carpentry, plumbing, electrical. On completion of the core, a student is able to then focus on an area of interest, to specialise in a trade.  On completion of high school he/she has the opportunity to move into the workforce and register as an Apprentice

It may be of interest to note at this point that the most heavily subscribed construction category for work permits is masonry, one of the core trades, with training available locally, both on and off the job. And yet, at one point recently, there were only four people enrolled in the Masonry programme at the Bermuda College.  This points to a breakdown in communicating the opportunities that are available, which is what we are here today to correct.

Courses are also available to workers already within the industry, through the sponsorship of the NTB.  Candidates are able to take courses, fulfill an apprenticeship, solidify their skills, all while holding down a full time job. This can be a difficult schedule, but you’ve often heard the saying “nothing that’s worth anything in life comes easy”.

We call on all Bermudians to invest in their future, take up the opportunities before you.

For more information on how to move your career to the next level, call the Construction Association or the NTB, or visit our website:  constructionbermuda.com

Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you this morning.

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