Construction boom means need for apprenticeships

Kyran Vaniperen isn't surprised by the increasing number of building apprentices in the region, saying things are really picking up at the moment. Photo / File

Nearly 100 Northlanders started building or construction apprenticeships last year, contributing to a record high of more than 5000 new apprentices nationwide.

Eighty apprentices signed up in Whangarei, while 19 apprentices have signed up in the Far North, says the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation. Apprentices will be trained in fields such as bricklaying, carpentry, masonry, plastering, painting and decorating.

Kyran Vaniperen, a building apprentice for Coastal Homes in Doubtless Bay and the runner-up Registered Master Builders Carters 2014 Apprentice of the Year, believed the large amount of available work was drawing people to the industry.

"Things are really picking up at the moment," he said. "We only had the [statutory] days off this year because we were so busy."

Mr Vaniperen began his apprenticeship a couple of years ago after working in roofing, aluminium and joinery. Four apprentices have begun at Coastal Homes since he started.

"Building's great to get into here because you get to go to lots of different places and we get a lot of work because it's not a big place and all the locals know us."

The latest Statistics New Zealand data reflected a boom in Northland's building sector, with 85 residential building consents granted in October 2014, compared with 62 consents for the same month the year prior.

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."

The growth was particularly evident in Auckland and other parts of the upper North Island.

Demand for apprentices still outweighed the number of people taking up apprenticeships, however, he said.

"We get about 100 new people a week so that's not bad. Christchurch will come to a natural peak soon but, with demand factors in Auckland forecast to be high beyond 2020, we're still going to be short of what we need going forward."