'For the 38 years that he lived overseas, Lawrence Williams said he dreamt of coming back to Jamaica and imparting some of his welding skills and years of experience.'
Nordia Henry, Staff Reporter
AFTER WORKING on oil drilling platforms, ships and submarines, in hydroelectric power plants and nuclear power stations in far-flung places like Iran, Germany, Algeria and Spain, Lawrence Williams wanted to come home.
For the 38 years that he lived overseas, Lawrence said he dreamt of coming back to Jamaica and imparting some of his welding skills and years of experience.
Four years ago, with his partner, Karla Marquardt, he came back. However, instead of passing along his know-how and helping youngsters to learn the business of high pressure pipe welding, Williams finds himself growing frustrated, his dream slowly becoming a nightmare.
Born and raised in Sedge Pond, Clarendon, Williams attended Milk River Basic and Secondary schools. At age 15 he went to England to live with his father. He attended a vocational training centre at Birmingham Technical for three years, successfully completing courses in high pressure pipe welding in stainless steel, stoving, aluminium and carbon steel.
"When I went to England I started out as an electrician but after awhile I realised that I didn't like the work because it was too hard to pull all these cables, etc. However, in the same area at a company called Grenwell there was welding and pipe fitting. It was like a training school and so I decided to try out welding. I spent five years as an apprentice."
Following his apprenticeship, he worked in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, applying his skills in a wide range of projects in dockyards and factories, breweries, dairies, food and beverage manufacturing plants, fresh water and waste water pipelines, gas turbine power plants and others.
Explaining his decision to come home, he says: "I wanted to come back and impart some of my skills and years of experience working in the Caribbean in the field of high pressure pipe welding. I dreamt of helping young aspiring Jamaicans interested in this field to be fully exposed to the real world of welding.
"You have a lot of people who call themselves welders but they don't know the real (intricacies of the profession). As a welder you must be able to do everything, like stainless steel, aluminium, chrome, etc. and most of the welders that I find here can only do just one thing black iron pipe plate."
BROKEN PROMISES
Still, despite his wealth of knowledge, Jamaicans haven't eagerly grabbed at what he has to offer. On return he set up base in Kingston and had a workshop in the downtown area. He has also done some training and has worked for a well-known mining company (which he prefers not to name).
Lawrence adds that about three years ago he was encouraged to close his shop in Kingston to pursue further opportunities in St. Elizabeth. He now lives in Ballards Valley (near Southfield), in the parish.
However, things have not worked out as promised. He says while he has done some training and some work he has sought to get an independent contract from the mining company in St. Elizabeth, but to no avail. With broken promises Lawrence reckons that he's getting the runaround.
"I don't think it's fair because I came back from Germany with two containers full of tools and they are just locked up doing nothing. Having worked alongside some people at these reputable mining (companies in Jamaica) I notice that there are people working here who do not possess the knowledge and know-how that I do...it's just a matter of who you know and who can pull the right strings.
"I find that people here don't want to invest in their own. What they prefer to do is to bring in people from overseas, let them collect all the money and at the end of the day we walk around like we don't have any head on our bodies...that's why the money is always leaving the country."
Williams says he hasn't given up and has a company (Lawrence G. Williams Development Cooperation) in St. Elizabeth. He says he has invested millions of dollars (he did not want to be more specific) in a workshop (still under construction) because he sees the need to share what he has with the younger generation.
Despite the obstacles he is facing here, Lawerence says he has no regrets choosing welding as a profession. "I have worked in this profession for 40 years now and have been employed at top of the line companies, even working with rocket nuclear reactors. For example, the first rocket that landed in French Guiana."
RETURNING RESIDENTS
The Returning Residents' Association and Ministry of Labour say there is a labour exchange programme whereby returning residents are encouraged to send their resumes either before returning or once they get here.
The resumes are then sent to organisations that best match their skills. However, the Ministry says it does not follow through by ensuring returnees find jobs, it only helps by distributing resumes to appropriate organisations.
The welding business in Jamaica
KEITH CHAMBERLAIN, Industrial Relations Manager of the Jamaica Employers Federation, notes that high-tech welding used to be in some demand in Jamaica but not so much of late.
"Some years ago when manufacturing was flourishing it was in high demand but with the decline in manufacturing welding has become restricted to the bauxite industry," he said.
Winston Fletcher, manager at National Tool and Engineering Co. Ltd. says, "We are aligned to construction activity, so when construction is low welding slackens. We have trained welders but over the past three to four years the demand has been moderate. We have put a welder testing facility in place and as such is seeking accreditation for this skill. The industry has a low profile so we are trying to promote the discipline and make Jamaicans aware that this is a reputable profession."
Welders are paid between $360 and $480 an hour, says Chamberlain.
