GEORGE TOWN – On May 30-31, the Public Works Department (PWD) within the Ministry of Planning, Agriculture, Housing and Infrastructure will host its second annual national skills competition to highlight Cayman’s most skilled young construction trade apprentices and connect industry leaders with future workers.
“This competition features some of the most skilled construction apprentices in the Cayman Islands and will be a remarkable display of their individual abilities and the strength of our vocational educations and training programs,” said the Honourable Jay Ebanks, Minister for Planning, Agriculture, Housing and Infrastructure. “It illustrates our commitment to help give Caymanians as many opportunities to succeed as possible.”
Currently, fifty Caymanians participate in the Public Works Apprenticeship Programme with most finding work in the construction industry after completing a 2-3 year apprenticeship. The national skills competition features 15 of these PWD apprentices competing over two days at the Public Works Department’s Construction Trades Training Center on North Sound Road. They are assessed in the categories of: Masonry, Carpentry, AC and Refrigeration, Electrical Installation, and Plumbing. The competition is open to the public.
“This competition not only offers a platform to some of the most exceptional young Caymanian construction workers to show off their hard-earned skills before senior members of government, family, friends and neighbors,” said Dr. Ande Francis, Centre Manager at the Construction Trades Training Centre. “It also connects industry partners with some of the most elite future construction workers and demonstrates the opportunity in hiring from our outstanding apprenticeship programmes.”
The PWD skills competition is sponsored by Dart, The Phoenix Group, Arch & Godfrey and Kirk Home Centre who will all have representatives on site to observe the competitors at work. A participant last year who won one of the skill categories was offered a job by Dart following the competition.
“Employers in the real estate industry like Dart see the value in this competition because it helps us get to know skilled young Caymanians,” Kevin Line, chief building engineer for Dart said. “This PWD vocational training programme is an excellent partnership between government and industry that helps support opportunities for skilled individuals and helps us to identify talent to build our team for the future.”
Competition winners will be announced at a ceremony following the conclusion of the competition. The public are invited to watch the competition which is being held at the PWD Construction Trades Training Centre at 370 North Sound Road.
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