Curtain Brothers gives young women a new lease on life

The National

By MALUM NALU

Young women from Motuan villages around Port Moresby are being given a new lease of life, thanks to major Papua New Guinea company, Curtain Brothers.

The company, through its subsidiary PNG Dockyard Ltd, is bringing in young women from the villages, school dropouts some of whom are only educated as far as Grade 6, and training them as welders on its busy Motukea Island outside Port Moresby.

Since then, the company is also taking in young women from other parts of the country.

They receive three months of intensive training, 75% practical and 25% theory, after which they are employed as trainee welders by the company and given a four-year apprenticeship during which time they can qualify as tradesmen.

Training sessions are held every three months, and since women started being trained as welders in 2011, 15 have gone through training.

Gomara Daniel, 19, from nearby Baruni village, dropped out of school at a very young age and was attending Limana Vocational Centre, when she heard about the training being offered by PNG Dockyard and applied.

Daniel (left) at welding class at the PNG Dockyard on Motukea Island yesterday while colleagues Elizabeth Tau (left) and Mabata Maino look on.-Nationalpics by MALUM NALU

“It’s very enjoyable,” she told The National on Motukea yesterday.

“I’m learning many new things.

“It’s good to receive such training and learn many new things about welding.

“I plan to become a boilermaker in future.”

PNG Dockyard operations manager, Steve Maiden, said welding was traditionally a male-dominated trade and the training for young women welders would benefit the whole country.

“It’s a 12-week programme providing dedicated welding and metal fabrication skills, enabling them to assimilate into the PNG Dockyard workforce, complementing our existing workforce” he told The National.

Girl power...female trainee welders (from left) Rosemary Kavanamur, Marylouise John, and Caroline Mafu at the busy PNG Dockyard on Motukea Island yesterday.

“It’s providing opportunities for both young men and women to become skilled metal fabricators and welders.

“It assists with PNG Dockyard’s and the nation’s skilled workforce.

“PNG Dockyard is committed to providing opportunities for all PNG people through all levels of our organisation.”