The Department of Public Works (DPW) said on Wednesday that of the 9 000 applications it received from engineers and artisans in the built environment, some 4 800 applicants were in the process of being absorbed into the department’s construction management programmes.

This follows the department’s call for retired, unemployed and not-yet qualified artisans and engineers to submit their résumés to the DPW in February.

The 4 800 individuals would be assigned to the department’s water and sewerage treatment plants, resuscitation of workshop structures and into a new in-house design team.

The DPW aims to create a database of engineers and artisans that could be used to assist the department to deliver on its infrastructure development mandate, as well as to contribute to job creation and a sustainable skills pipeline.

The DPW has received more than 18 000 calls since the launch of the campaign.