UK partners C-Stemp on manpower training in construction industry

To address the severe shortage of skilled manpower within the construction industry, the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID) has entered into partnership with an Abuja-based firm Construction Skills Training and Employment Services (C-STEMPS) to train artisans.

DFID’s Communications Adviser, Halimat Alawiye told journalists in Abuja that the organisation has secured the approval and recognition by National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) as pioneer training provider under the National Vocational Qualification Framework.

Alawiye who noted that DFID has also developed training manuals and DVDs for seven trades; masonry, carpentry, tiling, painting, iron bending, plumbing and electrical installation, said that a data base of artisans who are on queue for up skills training, assessment and certification; and as potential partners in proposed apprenticeship scheme has been developed.

It has also facilitated training of 130 Artisans (including pilot trainees), 57 builders and other construction professionals, 26 assessors and 10 verifiers.

She pointed out that in response to the slow-down in the construction industry due to the economic climate, a new approach is currently being adopted which will help reduce the time of the training, hence creating more time for the trainees to go back to earn their livelihoods.

According to her; “The approach will involve a 12 week programme with two weeks intensive class work followed by 10 weeks of site work under master artisans and classes during which period their progress would be tracked. The second week of this programme will involve semi-skilled artisans with whom the new entrants would be paired for practical training.

“This would deliver a total of 240 masters and 960 artisans (480 up skilled and 480 new entrants). In this batch there were 12 women trained. Sustainability of this project is being ensured by forging partnerships with organisations already operating in the country,” she said.

Also speaking, C-STEMPS Centre Manager, Lawrence Gabriel said that over 1,000 artisans have been trained through the initiative in seven different skills including masonry, plumbing, tiling, painting, iron bending, carpentry and electricians.

He said: “The core aim is to place them on jobs and also have a database of people we have trained and outsource them on demand. We also recommend them to developers. We have an understanding to deploy most people we have trained to the site of a big project coming up soon in Abuja.