MoU: Reaffirming the objective to provide short-tem training to engineers and architects in the ministry, the works and human settlement ministry and the College of Science and Technology signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) yesterday.

The short-term training will build the engineers’ technical capacity, and help address the long-term sustenance of engineers and architects in the ministry.  The continuous training programs are expected to help maintain the competence of the engineers and architects, even with the high turnover rate of engineers.

Works and human settlement minister Dorji Choden also stressed the sustainability during the signing yesterday. “Engineers across the country don’t get enough training opportunities and such MoUs will ensure their sustenance across the country in the long run,” lyonpo said.

Except for workloads, lyonpo Dorji Choden said, the issue of less training opportunities among the engineers was common in many dzongkhags.  She said that the trainings provided today were dependent on budgets. “Trainings are provided at once when there’s availability of budget, and it stops when there’s no budget,” she said.

Since Bhutan is undergoing major infrastructure development phase, lyonpo Dorji Choden mentioned upgrading engineers’ and architects’ skills through such an MoU was important.

Meanwhile, with the signing, the training of the first batch of 31 engineers and architects from dzongkhags and thromdes was also conducted yesterday.

The five-day training program is on “Bhutanese traditional architecture,” which is funded by Additional financing – second Bhutan urban development project, component III under the World Bank funding.

Similar MoUs will also be signed with Jigme Namgyal polytechnic in Deothang, and Chumey technical training institute, Bumthang.

By Rajesh Rai, Phuentsholing