High skill levels needed for trades

Not enough young people are training to work in the trades.

Opportunities for tradespeople abound but New Zealand lacks the skilled and semi-skilled workers to meet demand

Around 1924, a newspaper in Iowa used the term "blue collar worker" to describe those in manual trades who wore durable clothes in colours, like blue, which more effectively hid dirt and/or grease.

The term stuck, becoming a catch-all to label those in the trades, semi-skilled and unskilled sectors of the workforce. It distinguished them from so-called "white collar workers" in professional and, more often, office-based jobs.

But today, it's become a misnomer. Though trade staff may still mainly work with their hands, jobs are more likely than ever before to require high skill and education levels and see a goodly number of people moving into project management and supervisory roles. In addition, the jobs which might fall into the category have mushroomed ranging from aviation engineers and automotive mechanics to technicians and transport inspectors.

Opportunities abound but New Zealand lacks the skilled and semi-skilled workers to meet demand. Construction, utilities and hospitality sectors have been hardest hit. Shortages can be partly attributed to demand; we're no longer a young country meaning there's more infrastructure which needs to be repaired or maintained or redeveloped. Additionally, major infrastructure projects in Auckland, the Waikato and the Bay of Plenty coupled with the Christchurch rebuild have created more work.

Shortages are likely to continue. Not enough young people train to work in the trades and this is compounded by the fact existing staff are ageing. We also lose significant numbers, particularly those in their twenties who want to do an O.E., to other countries.

In 2014, New Zealand's Modern Apprenticeships programme, along with other apprenticeship-type training, was replaced by a nationwide scheme called New Zealand Apprenticeships which made training available to anyone aged over 16. Modern apprenticeships were available only to those aged 16 - 21. Seven industry organisations joined forces in 2015 to launch Got a Trade Week, part of a national campaign - with events the length and breadth of the country - to raise awareness of trade and service careers.

There's also a perception that trade jobs will disappear with workers replaced by robots and other high-tech innovations but rapidly developing technology is creating fresh opportunities and/or requiring those already in the trades to upskill.

AWF Madison Group is New Zealand's largest recruitment company and comprises AWF, Madison and Tradeforce. Collectively, the three businesses employ more than 230 full-time staff and deploy up to 4500 temporary staff daily - many of those to construction, infrastructure development, manufacturing, food processing, timber processing and waste management sectors. Its chief executive Simon Bennett says technology means the "playing field" has been completely transformed.

"Very few holes will be dug today by a person with a spade but someone does have to operate and maintain the machinery that does the digging," says Mr Bennett. "It means you need staff who can do that.

"You also need people who understand the practicalities of working on, say, a building site. You can't have people on a site who don't understand how to work under a health and safety regime. Then, you need staff who can step up and project manage - we've got a real shortage of project and site managers - because there are often more elements to pull together."

Bill Newson, national secretary for the union EPMU, says the impact of technology on manufacturing and the trades has diversified the skills required particularly the further up the hierarchy one advances.

"People talk a lot about innovation at work but this conjures up a vision of - and is often illustrated by - young men and women with university degrees in spectacles and white coats doing something in a science lab," says Mr Newsome. "The reality is a lot of innovation occurs on a building site or in a warehouse."

AWF has become an accredited training organisation to ensure it can supply to industry staff with the requisite skills. Initiatives include Te Mana o Whakaaro, a Maori Cadetship Programme in partnership with Te Puni Kokiri - Ministry for Maori Development. It aims to upskill Maori AWF employees by giving 60 cadets per year the chance to gain trades-related skills from carpentry to food handling and civil construction. It also works to upskill its existing staff.

Pat Cody, principal advisor for Careers New Zealand, says tradesmen and women who want to "future proof" their employment opportunities need to stay up-to-date with the technological advances in their fields. Mr Cody offers the following tips and hints:

• Develop a reputation for good work; word of mouth is still powerful particularly in the trades

• Develop niche/specialist skills within the specific trade

• Always expand your skill set; for example, by engaging in different project work

• Establish your network within the trade and related trades

• Develop the ability to collaborate and lead people

• Stay attuned to technology development in your industry; go to trade shows, read industry magazines

• Develop complementary skills/qualifications, business/project management/ certification.

He won't get any argument from Simon Bennett or Bill Newsome who say more than ever, it's about lifelong learning and staying ahead of the game as well as inspiring young people to see the rich range of opportunities.