A National Training Board (NTB) programme for welders as received a $60,000 boost from the private sector, it was announced last week.

The money donated by Esso Bermuda Limited, the Shell Group of Companies and BELCO, will be used to fund the training of three Bermudians as welding instructors, Labour Minister Terry Lister said.

"The NTB and the Government value this strategic partnership, because the entire community derives the benefits. The development of a competent and motivated workforce is an investment that creates social stability and economic progress."

NTB had initiated a welding training centre in collaboration with local company Swandell Limited and the Hobart Institute of Welding Technology (HIWT) an Ohio, United States establishment. Already 11 welding practitioners have received certifications from the American Welding Society and nine have qualified for HIWT certificates, the Minister said.

Government's ambition to initiate a train the trainer programme so that Bermudians can assume responsibility for running the centre reached rocky ground when a budget shortfall became apparent, Mr. Lister candidly admitted.

"Many times, pushing as we do, we get a little ahead of ourselves and this time we did," he said. "We are very ambitious and our money isn't as big as our mouths."

The decision was made to talk to the private sector and the three companies gladly coughed up $20,000 each.

"One of my dreams would be to export workers. I'm getting tired of seeing other workers being imported," said Joseph Francis, who with Earl Robinson and Vincent Smith will be trained as instructors.

Mr. Smith thanked the NTB and the companies for their "vision" and said that as a welder for the last 18 years, he now had the opportunity to give back to the trade.

But Mr. Robinson warned that if young Bermudians did not take up the opportunities available the initiative will be wasted.

"A lot of minds have come together to develop this programme an I would hope Bermudians would take advantage of this opportunity. It's fine to spend all this money... But if young Bermudians don't come forward we will be wasting our time."

There is no shortage of jobs for local qualified welders - the skills and technology are needed in construction, marine transportation and industrial maintenance.

Every steel structure building, for example, needs highly qualified welders and about half of the approximately 63 welders on the Island are non Bermudians - and that does not include the dozens of welders working on cars and trucks.

Welders in the construction industry earned a basic weekly wage of about $1,000 in 2001, according to the Bermuda Digest of Statistics.

"It makes a significant and strategic contribution to oil and fuel distribution and hence the electrical energy industry," Mr. Lister said.

The programme also furthers Government's plans to introduce a compulsory certification programme for workers. Legislation is expected to be ready for consideration by Island legislators during the next House of Assembly session.

The Welding Training Centre, located at 6 Boundary Crescent, Hermitage Road, Devonshire, is currently offering a course schedule to the industry for the next six months. Already the state of the art school has 70 students.

"There's no reason for these young men not to get ahead," said Van Swan of Swandell Limited. "We could get these boys off the street if they could use their heads."