From Helicopters to High Towers: How an Engineering Feat is Changing the Local Workforce’s lives

Roseau, Dominica: A foreman working on the ongoing Dominica Cable Car says the project is providing valuable international experience to its workers. Joshua Bernard, who was among the first five individuals employed at the site three years ago, says that wages are good and he is now able to provide much better for his family.

While sharing his testimonial, Bernard said that being part of the development has given him a strong sense of pride. For many Dominicans working on-site, the project has become a direct exposure to world-class Austrian and Swiss engineering, new techniques and skills that can be applied far beyond the island.

“You don’t usually see these things in Dominica… like installing towers with a helicopter. Just seeing the progress in general has been exciting,” he said.

Bernard, who has been involved since the early stages of site planning, said the project represents a significant opportunity for everyone involved.

“This project is the longest mono cable car in the world. Just being a part of it, being able to tell friends and family that I’m working on it, gives me a sense of pride,” Bernard further said.

Another worker named Shane Reid currently an operator emphasised the life changing nature of the Dominica Cable Car project. He said that he has been working on the project for three years now and described it as his ‘greatest experience’.

Reid noted that the project has provided him with a platform for learning new skills and gaining hands-on expertise ,“I can tell you I’ve learnt a lot of new things… and a lot of young people have learnt so much on this project,” he noted.

He added that the project has significantly improved his income and has enabled him to better support his family. According to him, several young people involved in the project are now earning stable incomes and are eager to continue working as the development progresses.

Not only this, but the broader impact of the project is also being felt across communities, especially in the Roseau Valley, where the project has contributed to increased economic activity and renewed optimism among residents.

Both workers signalled the long-term significance of the cable car not only as a tourism attraction but as a defining national project.

“You get to see the Boiling Lake… the Valley of Desolation… Trafalgar Falls… just floating above the trees is an experience a lot of people need to have,” Bernard explained.

Notably, the Dominica Cable Car is set to become the world’s longest mono cable car upon completion. As per reports, it will be transporting about 1,000 passengers every car, with each cabin capable of handling 10 passengers in a single trip. The cable is said to be one of the safest in the world as it is being built in collaboration of Doppelmayr, an Austrian manufacturer of ropeways, cable cars, and Switzerland based Outdoor Engineers.