Construction companies avoid training apprentices

Tuesday, 17 October 2017

Palmerston North carpentry apprentice Callum Bryson says apprentices may have more luck finding work in the regions.

Carpentry apprentices are struggling to find employers prepared to give them a job despite huge demand for workers, industry experts say.

The number of carpentry apprentices increased by 1007 to 8360 in the year to June, but the number of employers training apprentices was up only 421 to 4394, figures released by the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation show.

The Government has announced a $7m funding injection to boost apprenticeship training, but construction companies are less interested in the industry's next generation of workers.

The Government announced a $7 million boost to apprenticeship training in June, and set a target for 50,000 trade apprentices by 2020.

But Registered Master Builders chief executive David Kelly said only one in 10 construction companies hire apprentices.

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Kelly said the lack of interest was largely due to risk aversion and constant changes in the industry.

'[Apprentices] are the future of the industry and economy, but if you don't have long-term certainty employers are reluctant to take them on.

'The changes in the industry are not seasonal, they are economical.

'We go through boom and bust cycles which means sometimes there is a lack of work and companies have to downsize.

Kelly said the last bust occurred during the global financial crisis when the number of houses being built dropped by half.

He said the typical four-year apprenticeships were going out of fashion, and shorter-term contracts would increase the intake of apprentices from companies.

Kelly was optimistic about the number of apprentices and said construction was not a dead-end career path.

'Skilled tradesmen are in demand and it's a good career where you can earn good money from the start.

'If you go to university you would end up with a $50,000 loan and start on a low wage.

'With construction you can start to earn good money straight away and start your own business in the future.'

Kelly said the opportunities for building apprentices lay beyond construction and could lead to careers in surveying or property management.

Callum Bryson became a site manager for Palmerston North's McMillan & Lockwood almost immediately after his apprenticeship ended.

'I signed up without knowing much but they gave me a crack,' he said.

'I had some great people around me and they helped me to grow.'

Apprentices may have more success finding employment in the regions, last year's Registered Master Builders apprentice of the year said.

'There's definitely still need for good ones and there's definitely a lack of good chippies in the regions.'

McMillan and Lockwood general manager Rob Pederson said the company was increasingly selective in choosing apprentices.

'We usually take them in at a grassroots level and see how they perform in a training or labour role as opposed to taking someone straight out of college with no experience.'

Pederson said training apprentices did not come without risks.

'If you have too many it lowers production, and people get side-tracked looking after them.'

'There's also the health and safety hazards if they are inexperienced.'

Pederson, who employs three apprentices, said there was still a need for skilled tradesmen.

Industry Training Federation chief executive Josh Williams said the industry relied on employers to take on apprentices to secure its future and ensure there was a supply of workers with the right skills learnt in real workplaces.

'We know it's a commitment and think employers should be better supported, especially in the early stages when apprentices are new to the workforce and less productive … but in the end, we all start somewhere.'