Source: New Zealand Government
The Construction Skills Action Plan has delivered early on its overall target of supporting an additional 4,000 people into construction-related education and employment, says Minister for Building and Construction Poto Williams.
Since the Plan was launched in 2018, more than 9,300 people have taken up education or employment opportunities in the construction sector through cross-government initiatives.
“This is an important milestone and a positive step towards meeting New Zealand’s current and future construction needs,” says Poto Williams.
“Our priority is addressing New Zealand’s current skills shortage, so that we have the capability and capacity to meet increasing demand. By surpassing our overall target to get an extra 4,000 people into the sector, we are confident we are well on the way to creating the conditions for a high-performing construction sector in Aotearoa New Zealand.”
The Construction Skills Action Plan, managed by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), addresses issues around size and skills of the workforce to ensure the construction industry is well placed to deliver the buildings that New Zealand needs now and in the future.
The Plan is a three-year programme of initiatives led by the Ministry of Social Development, Tertiary Education Commission and MBIE.
“I’m also pleased to report that three of the initiatives have met their three-year targets early – Mana in Mahi has achieved more than 2,200 placements in the construction sector, Skills for Industry has supported more than 1,600 participants, and Growing Careers and Credentials has supported more than 5,200 enrolments,” says Poto Williams.
“I’m proud of what this Plan has achieved so far – we are reaching into our communities to give people the support they need to build their own futures in construction.”
Further initiatives to grow the capacity and capability of the workforce are being supported through the Construction Sector Accord’s people development workstream via the Accord Transformation Plan. The workstream is focussed on attracting a more diverse range of people into construction opportunities, growing the size of the workforce and supporting the upskilling of people and businesses in construction.
Notes to Editor
Mana in Mahi
Mana in Mahi achieved their three-year target of 10 construction-placements in the first year of the programme. In 2020, Mana in Mahi was expanded in response to the changing labour market due to COVID-19. As at the end of March 2021, there has been a total of 2,281 placements in the construction sector.
Skills for Industry
Expanding Skills for Industry achieved their three-year target of 150 placements in the first year of the programme, and has supported 1,670 training participants to date. In 2020, this initiative was expanded with the intention of preparing up to 3,500 job seekers for construction roles.
Growing Careers and Credentials
Growing Careers and Credentials has supported an additional 5,220 enrolments into construction-related education and training (target of 2,300).
Establishing new jobs and skills hubs
At the end of March 2021, Northern and Manukau Jobs and Skills have placed 180 job seekers into construction-related employment and facilitated 22 of placed job seekers into construction apprenticeships. Two new Jobs and Skills Hubs in Manawatū and Dunedin have been established.
Leveraging Government Procurement
The new Construction Procurement Guidelines were published in September 2019, requiring agencies to include skills development and training in the evaluation of construction and infrastructure projects.
Changing Immigration settings
The Construction and Infrastructure Skill Shortage List (CISSL) was established in December 2018 to support the sector to address immediate skills shortages while long-term development of New Zealand’s domestic work force occurs. This initiative does not have a numerical target.
