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Industry push looking successful: trade jobs in high demand from youths after lockdown.
The nationwide push for new apprentices to join the trades has seen a statistically significant increase with young people flocking to the construction industry in the post-lockdown environment.
While the industry experiences an overall increase of workers by 8.6%, the statistics from Stats NZ show that 15-19 year olds are joining the industry more than any other age brackets with a huge 17% hike in November of 2021.
Encouraging Statistics for Construction and Apprenticeships in General
Graham Burke, NZ Construction Industry Council chief executive, says that its encouraging as the industry has been long desperate for formal opportunities for young people.
“There has been a change in recent years that trade is a more viable pathway, which is positive… the number of apprentices has increased significantly. We know a lot of those numbers were made up by people in the sector - no doubt it included a proportion of newcomers.” – Graham Burke.
Student Job Search – also called SJS - has reported that the number of graduates joining the construction industry has been consistent, but also that total student warnings in the industry have increased by $2.5 million since 2018.
Suzanne Boyd, CEO of Student Job Search believes that it is indicative of the industry drive to solve the national skills shortage by recruiting and training young people.
The dramatic increase in demand for graduates from employers in the sector would seem to support this statement. In fact, SJS stats record that the 2021 financial year saw double the full time placements than in the 2020 financial year.
“The demand is due to the fact that employers can now see the benefit in hiring students and graduates – they offer unmatched enthusiasm, energy and fresh perspectives,” - Suzanne Boyd.
More Apprenticeships Sought Now Than In Years Gone By
Between August of 2019 and 2021 there has been an increase of apprenticeships taken up – a 49% increase according to statistics from the Ministry of Education.
BCITO, the Building & Construction Industry Training Organisation, has said that the construction and building industries are responsible for the largest contribution to that statistic.
“The industry demand has been fuelled by the need for housing, record consent numbers, restricted immigration, and government funding schemes providing an additional incentive.
With a skill shortage, people working in construction have many employment choices and qualified tradespeople with the right attitude are in demand across the country.” - Jason Hungerford, director of BCITO Business division of Te Pukenga.
There’s Still Plenty of Work to Be Done
Hungerford agrees that there is a lot to be done to lift certain numbers within the apprentice word. For example, though the number is rising, women make up 5% of the BCITO parentships, with the average age of an apprentice is 28.
Auckland was hit hard by the months long lockdown and the ensuing construction delays, and it will be a long road back to pre-covid conditions, but everyone should be happy to see the increasing number o jobs filled in the industry.
However, the roles for more experienced people in many specialisms are still in need. The industry is still struggling to fill positions where the worker needs specialist skills or a high level of expertise in order to fulfil the work properly.
“The Government’s Apprenticeship Boost has been a great initiative, but it is ending later this year. Programs such as these are essential to help bring talent on board and create a skilled construction workforce.” - David Kelly, Master Builders Association chief executive.