Works revives training

EIGHT students signed Department of Works (DoW) contracts yesterday to undergo a four-year apprenticeship training programme.
The students were among 11 others who were selected from 5,000 applicants in PNG.
The programme is a revival of the old DoW apprenticeship scheme that ceased in 1994 due to lack of finding.
The gathering, themed “The indenture signing 2010” had the students sign their contracts for the training in motor vehicle mechanic and heavy equipment fitting.
Works secretary Joel Luma told the gathering that with major impact projects such as the liquefied natural Gas (LNG) , it was important to have more gain trades to meet the demand.
“It is important to train the middle bracket workforce because they are the ones who will use their specialised skills to help grow the country,” Luma said. 
Luma, a civil engineer by profession, and a long- time public servant with the DoW, said that the new intakes for this revival programme would replace the many highly qualified ex-DoW trade holders who had  left the department in search for greener pastures.
Speaking on behalf of the students, Pinzen Tombe said that the students were grateful to the Works Institute of Technology (WIT) for selecting them among many other qualified applicants throughout PNG to attend this programme.
The students would work closely with DoW to ensure that the programme came to a successful conclusion.