AS Jamaica grapples with a shortage of skilled construction workers, Wayne Spence, leader of a delegation from the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) visiting the island, says reconstruction efforts should be used to train young people in trades that are already in high demand, creating a pipeline of workers while helping to rebuild the country.

Spence made the proposal during a Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) press forum on disaster risk management and recovery in education, at which participants examined the challenges facing the sector in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa and discussed how schools can become more resilient to future disasters.

His comments come at a time when concerns are mounting over Jamaica’s shortage of skilled labour. Government Senator Kavan Gayle recently warned that the country is facing an acute deficit of carpenters, masons, steel workers, electricians, plumbers, and finishers, with the shortage contributing to delays and staffing challenges across the construction sector.