One Year After Hurricane Melissa: Jamaica Needs More Hands to Rebuild
A year after Hurricane Melissa tore across western Jamaica in October 2025, the money to rebuild is flowing, but the people to do the work are in short supply. Carpenters, masons, electricians, plumbers and steel workers are some of the most sought-after workers in the country right now. If you have a trade, or want one, this is a moment worth paying attention to.
A shortage everyone can see
Government Senator Kavan Gayle put it bluntly in the Senate in June. Speaking during the debate on the National Housing Trust (Amendment) (Special Provisions) Act 2026, he warned that even where financing is available and contractors are secured, projects "cannot proceed efficiently without sufficient skilled workers". He listed carpenters, masons, steel workers, electricians, plumbers and finishers as trades in short supply, according to the Jamaica Observer.
The newspaper's own editorial made the same point from the householder's side: skilled tradespeople had been hard to find before the storm, and since Melissa they are scarcer and more expensive, with so much work available that they can pick and choose.
Schools show the scale of the job
The rebuilding of schools gives a sense of how much work there is. More than 600 educational institutions were damaged by the Category 5 storm, with 309 severely damaged and ranked as top priority for repair, the Observer reported in September. Fifty-seven of those were fully repaired by the start of the new school year, with more scheduled for completion by the end of September and December.
Education Minister Dr Dana Morris Dixon said the work has been held back by a shortage of grade one contractors, who are needed for larger projects. The Government is looking at overseas contractors to fill gaps, while working with HEART/NSTA Trust and the Development Bank of Jamaica to help grade two contractors move up to grade one, and to support young people who want to become contractors.
Training routes are opening up
For people who want to get into construction, there are practical ways in:
- HEART/NSTA Trust's BRIDGE Project. Launched in February, it offers on-the-job construction training in roof repairs, steel fixing and masonry for 200 young people aged 18 to 25 from hurricane-hit communities. Participants receive a monthly stipend of $65,000, subject to attendance, according to the Jamaica Information Service (JIS).
- Regular HEART/NSTA courses. Institution-based and community-based training is open to people aged 17 and over, and NVQ-J/CVQ courses at Levels 1 to 4 are free, according to HEART/NSTA Trust. Applications are taken during set intake windows, so check dates early.
What this means for job seekers
If you already work in a trade, consider getting your skills certified. An NVQ-J certificate is a recognised way to show what you can do, which can help when you are looking for steadier contract work rather than casual jobs.
If you are starting out, construction is one of the few areas where demand is clearly running ahead of supply. Training as an electrician, plumber, steel fixer or mason now could set you up for years of work, since rebuilding schools, homes, hotels and roads will take time.
What this means for employers
Contractors and project managers competing for the same small pool of workers need to make their roles easy to find and clear about what they offer. Listing the trade, the location, the expected length of the job and how to apply will help you reach people who are ready to start.
Splash Jamaica has just relaunched, and posting jobs on the site is currently free. If you are hiring tradespeople for rebuilding work, it is a simple way to get your vacancy in front of Jamaican job seekers.
Sources: Jamaica Observer, Jamaica Information Service, HEART/NSTA Trust.