During December, the council received 157 consent applications, including 91 for dwellings, which was up 3 per cent on the year before, which saw 152 applications.
Western Bay of Plenty Certified Builders president and owner of Way Builders, Mike Way, said there had been a definite upswing in business.
"The consent numbers don't lie," he said. "I know our subcontractors and electricians have been rushed off their feet and a lot of them are considering whether they should take on new apprentices.
"I know a number of builders and building companies around town have taken on apprentices or are trying them out."
Mr Way said he had been seeing the most inquiries he ever had and had also taken on a new apprentice to keep up with demand.
While the building industry ran in a boom and bust sort of cycle, Mr Way said he expected this year to be at least as busy as the last.
Classic Builders Bay of Plenty regional manager Paul Taylor said 2014 had been a good year for the company in Tauranga.
"Our numbers were definitely up from previous years. We're up around 25 to 30 per cent on what we had been."
Mr Taylor said they had to hire more construction managers and take on more sub-contractors during the year to cope with the increased workload.
He expected the demand for new homes would only continue this year.
"We expect to have some good consistency this year. It'll be an exciting year."
Tauranga had 184 new apprentices registered, while the greater Western Bay had 19 new apprentices, according to the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation. Apprentices train in fields such as bricklaying, carpentry, masonry, plastering, painting and decorating.
Building and Construction ITO chief executive Ruma Karaitiana said strong economic activity and demand for construction work had driven apprentice numbers up.
"The construction industry has been running hot for the past 18 months or so," he said. "The growth was initially fuelled by Christchurch but in 2014 we saw a lift across the whole country."
A Government "reboot" programme - which offered employers and apprentices subsidies of up to $2000 to help with the cost of training - had also helped boost numbers, he said. The programme finished on December 31.
Demand for apprentices still outweighed the number of people taking up apprenticeships, he said.
"If you're thinking about doing a trade, now's perhaps the best time in the history of the industry to get yourself trained and established."
Shaw Builders apprentice Sam Friend said it was "a really good time" to do an apprenticeship.
"There's heaps going on at the moment," he said. "I'd recommend getting started on an apprenticeship now."
The 21-year-old Mount Maunganui resident began his apprenticeship in 2013 after completing a two-year diploma in Quantity Surveying at the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic. A couple of other apprentices had started at Shaw Builders since he started.
"People don't have to go to Christchurch or Auckland because there's lots going on here as well," he said.