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.