The Market System for Construction Labor in Port au Prince, Haiti

This Emergency Market Mapping and Analysis looked at the opportunities for earthquakeaffected populations to gain employment in the construction sector. Prior to the earthquake, construction had been identified as an area of potential job growth and a priority sector for the government, however there was a mismatch between skills available in the labor market and jobs available. Professional, skilled, and semi-skilled workers were all in demand, but this demand was often filled by foreigners, in particular workers from the Dominican Republic. Now, as a result of the destruction, labor opportunities in the construction sector are anticipated to increase ten-fold. Previously, formal training for the construction sector was provided through universities (of which four are recognized as providing a high quality education), numerous technical schools, and a few NGO training centers. However, about 40-50% of workers were trained through apprenticeships and on the job training, for periods up to two years. Quality of education varied widely across formal training options, with some estimates indicating that students were learning only 60-70% of the skills needed. Professionalism and other non-technical competencies, such as project management, were also regularly noted as being in high demand, but difficult to find. With all four of the universities known for training engineers and many technical schools destroyed in the earthquake the options for quickly training professional, skilled, and semi-skilled workers are severely limited. A rough estimate indicates that 100,000 people will need to be trained to ensure Haitians have access to new jobs in the construction sector. Universities, training centers, and informal training mechanisms must be immediately supported to “build back better” if Haitians are to benefit from the increased employment opportunities in their country. Access to heavy equipment, availability of construction credit at the household and business level, and clarity on government policies will play a large role in how quickly the reconstruction efforts can truly start and employment benefits be gained. Humanitarian efforts now are focused on transitional shelters that can be built by three people in one day. However, this shelter is only designed to last 3-4 years. The trauma of the earthquake has created a window of opportunity to change building practices and preferences, as people have direct experience of the importance of appropriate construction practices and good quality construction materials. Yet the opportunity for change is small compared to the size of the task ahead. Initial damage estimates indicate that it could take up to 10 years to rebuild to previous levels, before considering future growth. Another barrier to employment is the fact that most employment is found through personal contacts. This means it can be difficult for individuals to get their first position and gain job experience, lack of job experience then limits job opportunities. One recommendation is to create a placement agency that can vet potential candidates and verify certifications for companies and individual engineers wanting to putt together teams. The recently passed minimum wage does not seem to be an issue for the construction sector, as market rates for nearly all positions are well above the minimum wage.