Up to 20,000 overseas builders expected to apply for NZ jobs

Bungy jumping is one of the drawcards for builders. Photo / Michael Craig

An attempt to lure overseas builders to New Zealand launches in the United Kingdom today is expected to attract up to 20,000 applicants.

A group of private companies and public organisations, including Auckland Transport, are behind the new campaign, which aims to entice builders to immigrate to this country to meet the growing demand for construction workers.

The campaign - called LookSee Build - follows on from a similar project earlier this year that saw 48,000 applicants put their hands up for IT jobs in the capital.

It launches today in the United Kingdom and is expected to attract up to 20,000 applicants, a spokesman said.

While the group isn't putting a number of how many people they hope to get jobs here, the spokesman said the ambition was to have more than "1000 very senior construction professionals" hired and in NZ.

Recruitment firm HainesAttract, which ran the hunt for the Wellington tech workers, is spearheading LookSee Build. HainesAttract director Hamish Price said last month that he hopes the programme can involve every big construction player in New Zealand.

"With LookSee Build NZ we are essentially trying to future-proof the construction industry for a level of infrastructure build that this country has never seen.

"We'll be targeting the UK and Ireland and other selected markets for the right people to come here and live and work in New Zealand," Price said. LookSee Build will offer candidates a "range of quintessential Kiwi experiences" like bungy jumping and weekends away to draw people to New Zealand. As part of the job interviews candidates will be taken on various trips.