There is a growing demand for steel fabricators in the construction sector. This is according to Theroon Cyrus, Fabrication Instructor at the Afif G Najjar Fabrication and Welding Institute. Cyrus and students attached to the institute made a site visit to the new housing development at Brentwood, Chaguanas on Wednesday. He said the demand for skilled fabricators, both locally and regionally, is surpassing the supply of trained individuals . He said skilled fabricators can earn upwards of $35 per hour.
Cyrus revealed that the institute trains a maximum of 16 persons annually and has done so for the last seven years.
The programme is done in conjunction with Metal-X Engineering Limited, Chaguanas and YTEPP Limited where cohorts are trained for one year. The programme was designed around 2009 by Labib Najjar, the Chairman of Metal-X Engineering Limited who he approached YTEPP with a proposal. The program started on April 25, 2012 and students are trained to meet the standards set by the American Institute of Steel Construction.
The program consists of both academic and practical learning content. The full time training consists of three months being spent in the classroom and nine months outside in the fabrication workshop. Some of its content includes auto-CAD and technical drawing for fabrication and buildings, structural fabrication welding, grinding, cutting, drilling, shaping, rigging and painting of all steel members, beams, columns, trusses, rafters and decking pan, joints and angles, tool usage, measuring, business skills, life skills and working on real-world projects.
There has been a 100 per cent success rate of graduates gaining employment.