Humanitarian agencies offer opportunities to learn basic carpentry

Natasha Daniels, Project Coordinator, Habitat for Humanity Trinidad & Tobago

Roseau, 20 August 2018 – IOM Dominica and Habitat for Humanity Trinidad & Tobago have partnered to provide Basic Carpentry Training for interested persons in the Commonwealth of Dominica.

The training is offered in collaboration with the Youth Development Division to increase the availability of semi-skilled local labour on the island to meet the current demand in the rebuilding process.

Training sessions will be held in the west and the northeast, where IOM currently works. The sessions will run for 10 days to provide the basic knowledge and hands-on experience necessary.

As a bonus, participants who perform well in the training can qualify for immediate employment with the IOM in its Housing Recovery Project, which aims to assist over 600 families in Dominica to recover safe housing with funds from the governments and peoples of the United Kingdom and Australia, the European Commission humanitarian arm (ECHO), and ChinaAID via the UNDP.

According to Community Engagement Officer for IOM, Maxine Alleyne-Esprit, “The construction industry is one where skilled workers and positive attitudes will be in demand for the foreseeable future. This is an opportunity for community members to expose themselves to the craft of carpentry, and open up alternative livelihood opportunities for Dominican men and women.”

The training is theoretical and practical, and all are welcome including women and the differently abled, and no previous experience is necessary.

Registration is being facilitated through the Village Councils in the western and northeastern districts, via the IOM-Dominica facebook page, and through the IOM Hotline at (767) 285-0794.

The minimum age for registration is 17 years.

In the first week, basic grounding skills in the technical aspects of roofing will be taught – tools, measurements, parts of the roof, impact of hazards, building codes and more.

The second week will be in action-on-the-field, with the trainees working alongside experienced teams of IOM and Habitat for Humanity carpenters in nearby villages.

Participants will receive a weekly stipend if they attend all the sessions, and at the end of the program, successful trainees will receive a certificate and a toolkit so they can continue to work and practice the skill.

The first training session was launched on Monday August 20th in St. Joseph.

Training days are Mondays – Saturdays from 8am -3pm for two weeks.

Space is limited for this free training. People on the northwest and northeast interested to enroll for the opportunity to learn Basic Carpentry Skills should call or WhatsApp 285-0794 to register and get more information.

Project Manager of IOM, Nestor Girukwishaka, addresses the opening of the Introduction to Basic Carpentry training at St Joseph

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7 Comments

  1. Daka yonase
    August 25, 2018

    I am a carpenter with craft certificate interested in your training ,when will be the next training?

    • IOM Dominica
      August 27, 2018

      Trying to respond directly to your question @Daka but not able to for some reason. Upcoming training sessions are planned as follows: from the 3rd – 15 September at Marigot. 10 – 22 September at Mahaut. 17-29 September at Dublanc. 24 Sep – 6 October Northeast (TBC). Please contact us at 285-0794 to register or for more information, or through our Facebook page @IOM Dominica.

      Thanks for your interest!!

  2. Dorian
    August 24, 2018

    This a good initiative. Home owners should pay the young people when they work for them. Too often those young men are given part payment. This leaves them very frustrated and discourage. I am calling on all victims to take up the matter at small claims court.

  3. Pondering
    August 23, 2018

    I really things this should be taught in the secondary schools. It is time for the min of education to introduce that in all high schools. Other professions like basic plumbimg, electricity concrete work as well as wood work should be part of thr secondary schools cirriculum.

  4. Maria
    August 23, 2018

    What is this at all? The training material pinned up on the board is from a booklet Severin McKenzie prepared way back in the 1990s under the name “Make The Right Connections”. Planning Division use it and call it Dominica Building Guidelines and now foreigners are using it to train carpenters. Whoa!

    • IOM Dominica
      August 27, 2018

      Hi Maria,
      The booklet that you speak about from the 1990s may have been one of the documents that informed the Building Guidelines, we do not know. I am not sure though why you say that “foreigners” are using it to train carpenters, or why it would really matter. IOM staff is over 90% local, but we do operate with overseas funding which we are thankful for.

  5. anonymous2
    August 23, 2018

    Take it to the high schools for vocational training. Many of the building workers need this training.

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