Lae City Authority CEO Robin Calistus (left) and Australian High Commission representative Mark Rowe (right), alongside the Trade Qualifications Program cohort. The program supports trainees in building skills for long-term employment. Picture supplied.
Eighteen local trade trainees have joined a 200-strong construction team building Lae’s new Main Market.
Lae City Authority Chief Executive Officer Robin Calistus said the partnership reflects a shared commitment between the Governments of Papua New Guinea, Australia, and New Zealand to create more opportunities for women to excel professionally.
“It supports skills transfer through on-the-job training on important projects like the Lae Market Redevelopment Project,” Calistus said.
He said nine women are part of the cohort, including four training as excavator and forklift operators, reflecting the increasing participation of women in technical and trade roles in Lae.
Metal fabrication and welding trainee Saking John said she was proud to train alongside other women in the program.
“The training gives us new skills and techniques that we can quickly use on a live construction site,” she said.
The Australian-funded Trade Qualifications Program will strengthen the local workforce through practical on-the-job training and skills development. Trainees will gain hands-on experience while working toward nationally recognised trade qualifications.
Training includes metal fabrication, welding, masonry, and block laying, with formal instruction and trade testing delivered alongside daily site work. These skills are being applied directly to the market redevelopment and will support long-term employment in the construction sector.
The redevelopment of Lae Main Market is a partnership between the Lae City Authority, the Australian Government, and the New Zealand Government.
Once complete, the market will accommodate more than 1,300 vendors, expanding opportunities for farmers, traders, and small businesses across Morobe Province.
Australian High Commission Minister-Counsellor Dr Cate Rogers said Australia is delivering a high-quality market that Lae can rely on for generations.
“Built by Papua New Guineans to high standards and designed for Lae’s conditions, including seismic risk, the new Lae Market is engineered to last. It is a project the city can take pride in,” she said.
Construction is being led by a local Papua New Guinean firm, with local suppliers and tradespeople on site every day.
She added that young people are gaining certified skills through their participation in the project.
