Locals missing out on jobs with foreign companies

THE increasing number of foreign construction companies operating in the country may result in the employment of foreign workers, according to the National Research Institute.
The NRI, in a new issues paper released yesterday titled – Road construction employment in Papua New Guinea – focuses on employment issues in construction and maintenance of non-national roads in five different provinces – Madang, Eastern Highlands, Gulf, Milne Bay and New Ireland.
It is based on consultations with sub-national governments, private contractors and training providers in these provinces.
The paper discussed the employment opportunities road construction provides to rural Papua New Guineans, especially from communities close to the project sites.
The report finds that most employment opportunities are short-term and few locals, mostly male, build a career in the construction industry.
The quality of formal training is generally poor and as a result, few Papua New Guineans have formal qualifications in the field.
The paper concluded that the increasing number of foreign construction companies operating in PNG had become a concern in all case study provinces.
This is because foreign companies often bring the bulk of their workforce from overseas, even for lower-skilled positions which affects employment opportunities for Papua New Guineans in road construction and maintenance projects.