These days, you are as likely to see a construction worker tapping away at a computer keyboard and talking about spreadsheets as laying concrete block or pouring a building's foundation.

To survive in the next millennium, even construction workers must be computer savvy.

That is where the new head of the technology department of the Bermuda College Charles Finn comes in.

In addition to running the department, he teaches a 34 hour introduction to computers component to the Introduction to Construction course for young Bermudians.

Dr. Finn, a metallurgist, started as the dean in August and immediately set about joining talks with industry heads to improve the quality of entry level tradesmen and women.

From the Boston area, Dr. Finn came to Bermuda after teaching at Northeastern University.

He left Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1971, and taught at the Western Australia School of Mines and at the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa.

It was after a quick springtime trip to the Island in 1990 that he fell in love with Bermuda. He found out about the newly created post while on vacation last year.

Dr. Finn is keen on young Bermudians joining the trades and even going on to university.

"I'm a steelmaker by training,'' Dr. Finn said. "There are plenty of opportunities for Bermudians. The major challenge here is to get out the message about the trades.'' He said that tourism and international business expect the Island to run smoothly and at worst, to have repairs done properly.

He added: "It's the hidden part of the economy. People expect their machinery to work and their buildings to be done properly.'' The college's partnership with the National Training Board is seeing its first fruits with dozens of young people taking a variety of courses.

Plant nurseries and horticultural firms have been sponsoring students who are apprentices -- and wage earners.

"I want to show that we are spending wisely the money given to us,'' Dr. Finn said. "We've got these exciting programmes and of course the programmes the College has had for years.'' He added: "My job is to interact with industry and provide what is needed for the economy.'' An additional reason for increasing the quality of Bermudian apprentices is the expense of importing workers.

"It makes a lot of sense to train local people,'' he said. "A lot of tradespeople are being brought in at a large cost.

"We don't just teach them to drive nails or lay block or weld pipe,'' Dr.

Finn continued. "If they are self-employed they will need to know how to balance their books on a computer or write a proposal.'' Students can even complete a degree through exchange programmes available through the College.

"I will encourage any young person to come here,'' Dr. Finn said. "We have an upward path for them. It is to their advantage to come here and be a part of our exciting programmes.''