Hima Cement has launched this year’s Builders’ Academy Program aimed at widening the skill set of masons, foremen and contractors.
Through a series of workshops dubbed the ‘Hima Cement Builders Academy’, masons are trained on issues such as concrete mixing ratios, site management, contracts costing and site safety.
This year unlike the previous ones, the curriculum has been widened to include a practical element to the trainings. The over 500 masons who participated in the trainings in Lira and Arua district got the chance to put into practice what they had learnt, guided by technical personnel from Hima Cement.
“We felt that instead of just giving the builders information, it would be better to also them the opportunity to put into practice what they will have learnt during the training. This we believe, will go a long way in widening their knowledge sourcing base,” says Eng. Joseph Balikuddembe, the facilitator of the trainings.
Hima Cement rolled out the initiative to enhance masons’ skills and professionalism, by offering them formal training, and through this promote safe construction and job creation in the country.
The initiative is in recognition of the challenges that the construction industry has faced over time with regard to construction management and professionalism given that most masons and foremen have built their skills mostly through informal learning.
In 2016, over 2,000 masons from 10 districts were trained and the target this year is to reach twice that number. The trainings have commenced in the northern districts of Arua, Lira and Gulu.
