The Government has developed an accelerated construction apprenticeship programme, in partnership with construction firms, to respond to the need for additional labour.

Prime Minister, the Most. Hon. Andrew Holness, in making the announcement in his contribution to the 2024/25 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives, on March 21, that the programme will include a three-month pre-apprenticeship period.

The apprenticeship aims to develop the employability skills as well as the technical competencies of the participants.

There will also be a seven-month immersive training where persons will be placed on a construction site for four days and at the HEART/NSTA Trust for one day.

The Prime Minister explained that apprentices will participate in an on-the-job mentorship phase and then assessment and certification, following seven-months of on-the-job exposure.

“This creative approach will make the training in construction more aligned to industry needs and we will be able to put persons to work in a shorter time frame,” Mr. Holness told the House.

The national minimum wage is to be increased to $15,000(N127,000/$97USD) per week from $13,000(N110,000/$84USD) effective June 1, 2024.

The announcement was made Thursday evening by Prime Minister Andrew Holness as he concluded his Budget Debate presentation in the House of Representatives.

“I’m pleased to announce a further increase to the minimum wage…per 40-hour week,” Holness said to sustained applause from the Government benches. He noted that this represented an increase of 15 per cent.

At the same time, the prime minister announced that the minimum wage for industrial security guards will move from $14,000(N118,000/$91USD)per week to $15,000(N127,000/$97USD) as of June 1. When the last increase was granted, the government had indicated that that would have been the last occasion when there was a difference in the national minimum wage and that paid to industrial security guards.

The Government has developed an accelerated construction apprenticeship programme, in partnership with construction firms, to respond to the need for additional labour.

Prime Minister, the Most. Hon. Andrew Holness, in making the announcement in his contribution to the 2024/25 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives, on March 21, that the programme will include a three-month pre-apprenticeship period.

The apprenticeship aims to develop the employability skills as well as the technical competencies of the participants.

There will also be a seven-month immersive training where persons will be placed on a construction site for four days and at the HEART/NSTA Trust for one day.

The Prime Minister explained that apprentices will participate in an on-the-job mentorship phase and then assessment and certification, following seven-months of on-the-job exposure.

“This creative approach will make the training in construction more aligned to industry needs and we will be able to put persons to work in a shorter time frame,” Mr. Holness told the House.