Deal to see firm train staff, boost standards

By LEMACH LAVARI
A property development company has signed an agreement with a local landowner company to have local construction workers trained to Australian standards.
Edai Town Development Ltd signed a memorandum-of-understanding with Boera Holdings Ltd and Australia Pacific Training Coalition (APTC) on Monday.
The agreement ensures APTC provides training in construction for local Boera villagers employed by Edai Town Development.
Edai Town Development chairman Madaha Maina said the company’s core business of property development required skilled construction workers.
“A steady and ready supply of skilled labour workforce is an important contribution to the ongoing development of this town,” he said.
Maina said the up-skilled workforce would help Edai Town to meet its vision of developing into a satellite township.
Director Kym Yong said the training programme was a pilot project.
Preference will be given to the existing workforce.
She said initial trainees would be sponsored by the company.
Classes will start in August and run till November.
There will be 30 trainees placed in two groups.
The agreement was signed by Maina, Boera Holdings chairman Sir Moi Avei, APTC country-manager Dr Brad Shaw and Australian deputy-high commissioner Caitlin Watson at Edai Town.
Shaw said the training would be a basic level of construction with an Australian-accredited qualification.
“We have tailored the programme to suite the local trainees that will be enrolled,” he said.
“We can make fully-fledged tradespeople from the local people here. It’s not just construction.
“There is a whole range of other fields that we can tap into here and hospitality is one of them.”
Sir Moi said the agreement was an opportunity for the Boera people to benefit sustainably.
He said those who received this training must ensure they use their acquired skills to develop living standards of their communities.