There is a shortage of blue collar jobs in Fiji.
Education Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum revealed this while being asked to elaborate more on the TELS Scholarship during a talanoa session in Nakasi.
Sayed-Kahiyum says the shortage of trade’s people is evident of the fact that construction companies are bringing in overseas workers.
“In Suva at the moment there are brick layers getting eight to nine dollars an hour, welders are getting paid $15 to $16 dollars an hour, electrician with qualification are getting $12 to $13 dollars and hour and we have some construction companies because there is a shortage of good trades people they are bringing in people from Bangladesh, Philippines and Indonesia.”
Sayed-Khaiyum says the introduction of Technical Colleges around the country will assist in addressing the issue.
