December 23: With a booming construction industry, there is a huge demand for skilled and semi-skilled workers.

At the moment much of this demand is being met by expatriate labourers. But in recent years, with a large number of trainees graduating from the various vocational training institutes scattered across the country, efforts to build a trained national workforce is beginning to bear fruit.

This week 43 trainees completed a two years vocational training from the Construction Training Centre in Thimphu. 43 trainees have completed a two-year training in Masonry, Carpentry, Plumbing, Electrical house wiring and Welding from the Construction Training Centre at Kawajangsa in Thimphu.

Some of the trainees said with the construction industry booming, there is no dearth of jobs for them. Others however appeared less hopeful. Most wanted to work for government owned companies.

Bhoj Bhadur, the Principal of the Construction Training Centre in Kawajangsa, said the demand for vocational training is shooting up especially in the private sectors. The Construction Training Centre in Kawajangsa was established in 2002.

Since then more than 550 trainees have graduated from the centre. Beginning next year, the centre will function only as a service provider to trainees from various vocational training institutes.

Vocational Institutes in other parts of the country will take in the fresh trainees.