Vice President of the Builders and Contractors Association (BCA) Anthony Leblanc is making a plea to contractors around the island to get registered.
Speaking to Dominica News Online on Wednesday morning, Leblanc explained that the BCA is presently on an education drive and has identified a number of individuals who are employed in the construction sector but are not certified.
“Therefore we have sought to get them certified based on the CARICOM Citizens certificate in vocational qualification (CVQ program). Since those persons are out of school the current drive for CVQ for CXC has been for students but what we wanted is for the current crop of employees in the industry not to feel intimidated or left behind when the new wave of people come from the secondary schools with CVQs in a couple of years time so we wanted to upgrade them so they could find their rightful place in society.”
Leblanc pointed out further that they had discussions with some consultants through the Dominica Coalition of Service Industries and received some quotations on how to do the prior learning assessment and recognition which will assess the employees competency and attitude, and the level of skill and experience that they have.
He noted that registration is now open until the 26th of June for interested persons.
“The procedure will be that people register, during the registration process you get an assessment of where the person is now, what skills they want to assess and then assessors will come from Trinidad in a few weeks time and interview those persons again and if necessary see them in action because it is a competency based assessment and the assessors want to see how people perform. So the assessment that will be done is the person’s attitude towards work, the person’s ability, the person’s ability to communicate, and his ability to do the work accurately.”
He added that the process which has been going on for about two years, is now beginning to pick up pace.
“This process has been going on for about two years now. It’s been at least a year and a half since the registration process has started earlier this month and ends on the 26th of this month. Initially it was slow right now it has picked up we are aiming for 250 persons. We are scheduled to go out to a few out districts.”
This programme is expected to contribute to building the skills and capacity of operators and workers within construction sector, and enhance the regional and international competitiveness of the industry.
Does one have to be in construction to be part of this? What if ur technically minded or trained in other areas and would like to get certified in construction etc, would it be ok to register?
Mr.LeBlanc this is a good move to have the contractors registered ,but it is also of good importance to have them also Qualified,Licenced,and Certified,for there are some who do not know how to read a blue print and have to seek assistance from another architect,so therefore its not only using a Hammer and a trowel that makes them a contractor
How do we address the situation of someone who has a wealth of knowledge and experience in the construction industry but lacks self confidence in sitting in a classroom with literate individuals?
Observer
I suggest that the illiterate builders should join Skeritt in the classroom.
If they need to be educated then that is what they ought to do!
DNO… Where do individuals go to get registered?
Let’s hope that this will encourage builders to be more professional With clients.
We are still paying a new contractor to correct shoddy work which our former contractor made.
It is very, very difficult for us when we rely on contractors to execute a good job especially when we are not able to be there!
Everyone in Dominica is a builder, irrespective of the ability to build!
Great, you hit the nail on the head. They are jack of all trades and masters of none. I have paid triple already for trying to build a small wooden house that has to keep being ripped apart because the “builder” had no clue what he was doing. I have heard these stories again and again and again. Let’s get some professionals going please!
I have had reservations about some contractors in the building sector and this should be a first step towards licensing. Contractors should have to take courses in construction law along with building courses. There should be a minimum number of classroom hours, after which there should be an exam with a minimum 75% pass mark. Post-licensing should require continuing education every two years. If they are not presently required to carry workman’s compensation and liability insurance, they should be made to get such insurances as part of their licensing. These insurances are to be submitted with every building permit application.
SN, although that is mandatory and welcomed in developed countries, I think it is unreasonable to ask for workman’s comp and liability insurance here in DA. I can’t stand the shoddy work and getting ripped off all the time, but let’s face it….even most good builders here (wherever you are let me know, lol) don’t have the proper tools and/or transportation to even get to the job site half the time never mind being able to afford that kind of insurance. Most of the them work barefoot with spliffs hanging out of their mouths, and guess what? Those seem to be the better builders!
I spport this move. It’s a step in the right direction. However i firmly beieve that all contractors and builders should be lincenced. Why ? To prevent people from posing as builders and doing nonsense with people and their money .Let me say once again certification is the name of the game. I would like all builders and contractors to go for it.