Getting ready for the building skills shortage...
Employers - are you ready to grow your business?
Many within the building and construction industry will have heard about the skills shortage threatening the future growth of New Zealand. Pent-up demand as we move out of recession, leaky homes remedial work and the Christchurch rebuild are set to suck-up every construction professional we have within the next couple of years. Currently, we don’t have enough people in training to keep building New Zealand.
Forecasts show that $70 billion worth of building work needs to be completed over the next five years. Currently, we are only geared to build about half that.
Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has stated that 10,000 houses will need rebuilding following the 22 February earthquake. However, 3,500 properties already required demolition and rebuilding after the September earthquake.
But earthquake rebuilding efforts are just the start. There is about $12 billion of leaky building remedial work which is set to commence soon. And after almost three years of building 5000 houses less than what is needed for population growth, the pressure is about to be released. People have also been saving hard to get home deposits together, just as banks lower their deposit requirements. Added to this is the first wave of Kiwisavers who after three years of contributing to KiwiSaver, may be entitled to a first home deposit subsidy.
The BCITO believes quality apprentices will become harder to find soon, so don’t count on being able to take on someone new when it suits.
From 2011 onwards employment in most BCITO occupations is expected to begin growing again, and by 2013 employment levels are expected to match or exceed the levels experienced at the peak of the construction boom in 2007. Housing shortages are emerging already in Auckland and are ‘extreme’ in Christchurch. With the construction sector focusing on rebuilding Canterbury, building shortages could be made worse in other regions.
BCITO takes action
The BCITO communications team is working hard to inform all builders and employers within the industry of the massive amount of building required over the next five years.
The BCITO is also involved in various national initiatives to boost the number of people in training to help ease the effects of a skills shortage. The BCITO’s Chief Executive, Ruma Karaitiana, heads up the national Skills Strategy Working Group, which aims to develop a strategy to build a flexible, safe and skilled workforce able to adapt quickly to new technologies and processes and contribute to an increase in productivity in the industry by 2020. The BCITO is also working to collaborate with polytechnics and other ITOs to deliver a big-picture strategy for the future growth of our industry.
The BCITO is continually looking for ways to make is easier for employers to train more apprentices. For example, a payment plan has been introduced so that training costs can be spread out over time and not paid up front. Also, BCITO training advisors now manage all apprentice assessment, so employers don’t have to be bogged down with paper work. The BCITO has even introduced a streamlined qualification process to help experienced, but unqualified builders gain their qualification
If you employ within the construction industry, it is up to you to start training the next generation now. New Zealand’s future depends on it.
To enquire about putting on an apprentice, or to up-skill your crew, contact the BCITO today on 0800 422 486.
