Catching a jobs wave

Boom times in the boating industry have led to expanded training opportunities for adult workers from other occupations, writes ROBIN BAILEY.

The rapid development of this country's marine industry meant a huge challenge for the Boating Industry Association: finding the people to fill the jobs created by the boom.

The shortage of skilled labour is not just at the top end of the industry, where multimillion-dollar superyachts are being built for clients around the world. It is also a problem being faced by the hundreds of smaller companies throughout the country turning out thousands of trailer boats and launches in GRP and aluminium.

The man given the job of helping to fill those vacancies is Robert Brooke, national field officer of the Boating Industry Training Organisation, set up by the association to address the labour shortage.

A man with a background as a professional boatbuilder, and with a lifelong interest in professional development through all sectors of the industry, he is passionate about his job. He is also something of a lateral thinker.

One of the initiatives he has set in place is providing an opportunity for adults from other occupations to switch to boatbuilding and become qualified.

One of those to have successfully made the transition is Martin Lawrence, aged 35, from Massey. Having completed his two-year boatbuilding course at Formula Cruisers, at Kumeu, in West Auckland, he is now well into a cabinetmaking apprenticeship.

With previous experience in the automotive sector and having spent a couple of hard years applying industrial coatings at a Whangarei shipyard, Lawrence came to Formula with a determination to succeed.

"I found coming into the industry as an adult presented no problems," Lawrence says. "Completing the series of tasks necessary to qualify was not too difficult, although I was glad I had taken tech drawing and maths for School Certificate. I also found the experience I had gained in my earlier jobs proved useful."

The company has a staff of 40, including 12 apprentices, and production manager Glen Mitchell says there are advantages in taking on adults and providing on-the-job training.

"They arrive here with the right work ethic, something that is not always the case with apprentices who come through the conventional trade training system."

Lawrence was taken on after seeing the job advertised and having the details of the course spelled out by the training organisation. He found it challenging in parts, but enjoyed the challenges. The programme involved some training at Unitec and a lofting course at Northern Polytechnic in Whangarei.

"Both were useful," says Lawrence, "and there was also a brief introduction to computer-aided design, which particularly interested me. I think I will try to move into the R & D aspects of boatbuilding once I have completed my cabinetmaking qualification. I also hope to spend some time in the future mastering the inlay aspect of woodworking."

Association executive director Peter Busfield sees effective training programmes for boatbuilders and in other related marine trades as essential for the optimum growth of the industry.

"With the assistance of employers, the polytechnics throughout the country and the Government's Skill New Zealand programme we are achieving this objective," he says.

"Local and export sales prospects ultimately depend on New Zealand boatbuilders maintaining the quality on which our reputation is built. With more than 10 per cent of our workforce in formal training our future looks promising."

New Zealand's first manufactured marine export was a Logan yacht shipped to Australia in 1888. The marine sector is now this country's largest manufacturing-based industry with turnover predicted to exceed $700 million this year. Busfield says our leading-edge boatbuilding technology and advanced training programmes have played a major part in achieving this result.

The training organisation, under the direction of Brooke, is confident of extending the adult apprenticeship programme to all parts of New Zealand where boats are being built.

He is adamant that those interested must do their own door-knocking. The role of the organisation is simply to explain what's available and how those services can be accessed. It is a system that seems to be working successfully.

NZ Marine

training@bia.org.nz