Moves to boost construction sector as economic needle shifts again
By Greg Durkin, Director for BCITO
New Zealand society’s tendency to promote full-time university or polytech for school leavers ahead of a trade career is well documented – but few people realise just how many great opportunities are available in construction trades right now.
Part of the reason for that lack of understanding has come because the sector itself has been rattled by the recent past – a drop in consents. This may potentially have put off those who might have considered a construction career, or who had parents and mentors advising them to look elsewhere.
The latest news from Infometrics notes the decline in building consents has levelled off. In the latest figures, New Zealand saw an increase of approved building activity increase in February compared with the previous month and hold steady for March.
Even in a downturn, opportunities for rewarding careers in construction are plentiful. Savvy employers are looking to add skills and talent to their businesses to adapt to changing conditions, critical for the industry and the wider economy. When things pick up again, we’ll need even more trained people to fill the demand. This makes it an opportune time both to take on new people and to take advantage of the current conditions to enter a trades career.
So, to help promote construction trade careers, BCITO is offering a year of BCITO Fees Support (free fees) training for apprentices or supervisors, for those who enrol with us before the end of August 2024.
Since Covid-19, millions of people around the world have realised their 9-5 office jobs weren’t satisfying their need for work-life balance, creativity, and/or doing something that leaves a lasting legacy. A career in construction ticks all those boxes.
It is often a lifestyle choice which leads to the trades. Aluminium joiner Eli Auld, of Timaru, studied a science degree before realising it wasn’t for him: “I wasn’t keen to rack up a massive student loan on something I wasn’t passionate about.”
Tradespeople like Eli take pride in pointing out the very real difference they’re making to their communities, legacies that can be seen for years to come.
The construction sector also offers huge opportunities for go-getters with an entrepreneurial mindset. Jo and Joshua Beckford, owners of Upper Hutt’s Finest Finish Decorating, point out many of their former apprentices graduate to owning their own businesses.
“We believe it’s important to give them the responsibility and independence to develop their own way of working,” says Joshua. “By giving them the capability to manage their own jobs, it sets them up to potentially work for themselves in the future.”
This is also a great time for senior tradies to pick up new skills for their future. As anyone who works in the building sector will tell you, there’s constant turn-over of staff. While there was an influx of younger apprentices into the trades during 2022 and 2023, a significant proportion of our tradies are nearing retirement – and they’ll need others to step up. That means more vacancies across the board, including at senior levels.
Many tradespeople are not given the opportunity to increase their skills beyond their apprenticeship, often missing out on higher pay and opportunities to progress further. Gaining a qualification is a great way to have your skills recognised and increase your knowledge (especially when there are no fees). Employers often look for people who have extra skills and this is a great way to get them.
BCITO offers a Supervisor Qualification, building essential leadership and interpersonal skills, as a great next career step for tradespeople wanting to level up their career. Because this qualification usually takes less than a year, the Fees Support initiative means this qualification will be free for anyone who signs up before the end of August 2024.
To make construction careers attractive to as many people as possible, BCITO supports all our employers with a wide range of business resources, and financial support to build business capability. In addition, we offer targeted resources especially developed to support apprentices with specific learning needs, disabilities and neurodiversity. Diversity Scholarships are also available for individuals from groups underrepresented in construction.
In short, a career in the trades is a fantastic career option for those who’d rather build a desk than work at one. Industry support and demand are definitely there. With the ability to earn from day one, and low debt, a trades apprentice can no longer be seen as “settling for second best”.
A trades career could be the smartest move they ever made.
For more information: bcito.org.nz