To build the capacity of the local workforce to support rural road transport infrastructure development projects in Papua New Guinea, the EU-STREIT PNG Programme trained and upskilled a new batch of interested young men and women in the Sepik region.
The EU Funded UN Joint STREIT Programme continues to train more young people from rural Sepik with the skills required for decent employment opportunities in road transport infrastructure development in Papua New Guinea. In its latest step, the Programme organised a 4-day training on ‘Occupational Safety and Health Hazards.’ Delivered in collaboration with the Yawasoro Technical and Vocational Training (TVET) Centre in Wewak, this course was the second part of 5-module training courses developed and implemented by the International Labour Organization (ILO) under the EU-STREIT PNG Programme.
The training, conducted on 5-8 August, was attended by 22 youths comprising 7 young girls and 15 young men. The trainees were mostly Grade 8 and 10 leavers that were selected with the help of ward members from rural communities in the Sepik Region like Marienbeg, Angoram, South Wosera, North Wosera, Dagua, Banak, Wewak Rural and Aitape Rural Local Level Governments (LLGs).
Introducing the training and its purpose on the first day, the ILO-STREIT’s Chief Technical Advisor, Mr Shailendra Jha Kumar, said, “This training will help the youth to learn the hazards and safety requirements at construction site for safe construction environment. The participants will also be able to linked for employment as safety supervisor in construction sector.”
Some topics covered in the training were safety and health responsibilities, causes of common types of hazards, accidents at construction sites, prevention of accidents, risk assessment and control, identification of hazards and common types of hazards in construction sites, attending to emergencies and preparation of emergency safety plan, accident and incident reporting, safety signs and symbols, traffic management, recommended noise limit, ventilation and lighting, labour camp standard and its construction. The trainees were also imparted first-aid skills by experts from the Provincial Health Division in Wewak.
The training has provided a new window of opportunity for the 22 young attendees to seek employment opportunities in road construction and other sites to improve their lives. “I struggle to find school fees for my children, and with these skills, I can now find short-term employment in road construction sites to earn an income to support my children and family,” says a female participant, Eslyn Talis. A male participant, Victor Yahaipim added, “With these skills, I’m looking forward to doing something good with my life and want to say thank you.”
They can also seek employment with contractors engaged under the EU-STREIT PNG Programme to rehabilitate 15 access roads in various parts of the Sepik Region.
The 5-module training courses rolled out by the Programme aim to upskill a total of 150 young people on road infrastructure works, thereby developing local communities’ capacity to support, take part and benefit from infrastructure development projects in the region.
The EU-STREIT PNG is being implemented as a UN Joint Programme (FAO as the leading agency, and ILO, ITU, UNCDF and UNDP as implementing partners), is the largest grant-funded Programme of the European Union in the Country and the Pacific region. It focuses on increasing sustainable and inclusive economic development of rural areas through increasing the economic returns and opportunities from cocoa, vanilla and fishery value chains and strengthening and improving the efficiency of value chain enablers, including the business environment, and supporting sustainable, climate-proof transport and energy infrastructure development.
