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.
For starters, 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.
This demand for building will be driven by much more than just post-earthquake re-building in Canterbury. It also includes leaky building remediation work, pent-up demand from the recession, and easier access to home loans for Kiwis.
The BCITO’s calculations show that with these factors combined, more than $70 billion needs to be spent on construction in the short-to-medium term.
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.
BCITO 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 the industry.
The BCITO is continually looking for ways to make it 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 paperwork.
If you employ within the construction industry, it is up to you to start training the next generation now. The industry’s future depends on it.
To enquire about putting on an apprentice, contact the BCITO today on 0800 422 486.
