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Media Release - 22 February 2012

Te Puni Kokiri and WelTec Partnering for Success

WelTec is expanding its trades delivery so that more people have access to trades training.  As well as its Petone campus WelTec is setting up customised carpentry training facilities in Otaki, the Kapiti Coast and the Wairarapa.  “So far demand from young Maori for trades training has been good, but we want to encourage more school leavers to think about a career in the building and construction industry,” says WelTec Chief Executive Linda Sissons.

“1600 Maori students are currently enrolled with WelTec.  This is an increase of more than 3% on 2010 student numbers.    Our trades training programmes provide students with pre-trade qualifications that they can then use to get an apprenticeship or cadetship.  The government has allocated an extra 200 places for trades training students throughout the Wellington region,” says Dr Sissons.

“Our Tamaiti Whangai Academy supports Maori students to achieve well.  We already have an existing partnership with Te Puni Kokiri and the Electrotechnology ITO to offer scholarships to students who want to pursue a career in that industry.  This has worked well and led onto apprenticeships.  Te Puni Kokiri has recently expanded its scholarship programme at WelTec to include painting, tiling, brick and blocklaying and plumbing anticipating the demand for trained staff required to rebuild Christchurch and address the leaky homes problem.”

Employers see the benefit in young people training for jobs in the building and construction industry.  Ash Sparks, Managing Director of A Sparks Limited – a medium sized architectural construction company building high spec million dollar plus houses for the New Zealand domestic market says, “My current apprentice Dana Russell who has worked for us for 1 year has almost completed his studies with WelTec.  Our foreman trained as an apprentice and then studied his advanced trades with WelTec. 

“I want other employers to think about their current workforce and commit to training now ahead of the forecast skills shortage resulting from leaky homes and the Christchurch earthquakes.  There are bright young students coming off pre-trade programmes who want apprenticeships.  The building and construction industry needs to take on apprentices before these young people head off overseas or decide to do something else. 

“I would urge any young people and their parents thinking about their next step from school to think about working in this industry.  There are rewards for those who apply themselves and show initiative.”