KEY POINTS:
There is a very real possibility that New Zealand will not have enough workers to build roads and other vital infrastructure in the future, says John Wills, CEO of InfraTrain.
"The numbers coming out of school are starting to drop and we've still got a high proportion of
workers in the sector emigrating to Australia," Wills says.
As the industry training organisation for the infrastructure industries, InfraTrain has started a new industry awareness campaign to recruit workers.
"There's a lot of infrastructure work going on now and there's huge growth forecast over the next few years," Wills says.
New Zealand has $20 billion worth of infrastructure projects on the books over the next 10 years.
"The companies are coping with the work they've got there now. The situation will become a lot more chronic as they require more staff as more projects come on line."
But Australia is also pouring huge amounts of money into its infrastructure. It also has a booming mining industry which is grabbing up skilled operators of plant or heavy equipment.
"I think it's going to be an area where there's always going to be significant shortages here. Certainly in the near future, we're always going to have this disparity with Australia where the grass is seen to be greener. We have large numbers heading across the Tasman each year and not so many coming back," Wills says.
But the perception that a trade is not a worthwhile career is an obstacle to recruiting young people.
"Parents will often see it as a dirty, unsafe and low-paid job whereas in fact it's a long-term career. From time to time, it is a bit grubby but there are good prospects in there."
Wills says teachers also try to turn students off careers in infrastructure.
"There is still a pretty predominant attitude among teachers that anything to do with a trade is not such a good idea. They need to get over it if we're actually going to start getting some productive people back into the trades," Wills says.
The mentality that people are only a success if they go to university is ridiculous.
"Let's give the value back to the trades. They make an enormous contribution to New Zealand. New Zealand couldn't survive without them and having teachers putting them down is not such a good idea."
The infrastructure sector covers a huge spectrum of industry ranging from roads and bridges to power plants and water systems.
"Often if you're talking to people about the infrastructure sector, all they'll consider is the person standing at the end of a set of road works with a stop/go sign. There's actually a lot more to it than that," Wills says.
There are a multitude of various careers on offer which require all kinds of people.
"There is a lack of awareness that the infrastructure can offer young people lifelong careers out there, rather than just jobs. There are a huge range of occupations from surveyors to designers to engineers. Hundreds of different occupations will be part of that process."
Since young people have so many career opportunities to choose from, the infrastructure industry is going out to schools to show students what they offer. The Built Environment Training Alliance, a group of allied ITOs in the building and construction industry, is offering the BConstructive Programme. It trains year 11 and 12 high school students to qualify for a National Certificate in Building, Construction and Allied Trades Skills. Wills says students need to understand that with the increase in technology being used in building infrastructure, it's not just about manual labour any more.
"There will always be some manual labour in there but it's not the manual labour of the'30s,'40s and'50s the way people consider manual labour."
The infrastructure industry offers high school graduates the opportunity to earn money from day one on the job as opposed to spending money on university where they might spend four or six years earning nothing.
There are various training levels to work through which are modern and tailor-made to the specific industry.
"In four years, you've probably worked your way through two or three of those levels and, if you're keen and competent, there is no reason why you shouldn't be looking at diploma level qualifications beyond that.
"If those work for you there's no reason why you shouldn't be looking at bachelor level qualifications beyond that."
Wills says many younger workers have come into the sector and are making the most of what's on offer.
"A lot of young people have come into the industry in recent years who've done exceptionally well, who've taken the training opportunities that are there, who've seen the career opportunities and opportunities for advancement that are there," Wills says.
There is also the sense of satisfaction of having been a part of something which will be around for quite a while.
"I think the opportunity to go and be a part of a building project which you know will still be being used in 50 or 100 years' time is a pretty good drawcard as well, for those that are thinking about it."
And it's not just men that the industry is going after. Although the industry is heavily male dominated, Wills says women do well.
"The women we have in the industry at plant operator and at engineer level are extremely highly regarded. They've done exceptionally well," Wills says.
From power projects including wind farms to light rail and roading, Wills says there is a lot going on with infrastructure at the moment.