4 August 2004

Tradestaff leads way in skills training

Recruitment company Tradestaff is setting up a national apprenticeship training programme, in an effort to address the ongoing skills shortage in the construction industry.

Tradestaff's Managing Director Kevin Eder says the programme is built on a pilot that has been running in Christchurch for the last two years.

"There was a real drop-off in apprenticeships for around 10 years, which has contributed to the current skills shortage in the trades. Although many employers would like to, they are not always able to take on the responsibility of apprentices.

"Our programme takes any perceived barriers and risks away. We employ the apprentices and place them with employers, who we ask to make a commitment for at least 3 months to the apprentice for their on-the-job training.

"Already in Christchurch we have introduced more than 45 apprentices to the construction industry through this programme," Kevin Eder says.

Experience has shown that often the apprentice will become a permanent part of the employer's team, alternatively the apprentice gets the opportunity to work with a variety of Tradestaff's clients specialising in many different aspects of the construction industry. This gives them a broad base of skills and experience when they complete their training.

Tradestaff places people throughout the wide spectrum of the construction industry from commercial, to residential, to joinery.

The apprentices will be linked with the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO) for their theory work.

Kevin Eder says a National Apprenticeship Manager will be based in Auckland and the programme will be run through all of the company's 10 branches.

"Our goal is to introduce another 100 apprentices to the New Zealand construction industry in the next 12 months.

"We have young people coming to us all the time looking for apprenticeships. We know the industry needs these skills and we are confident that this programme will help to address the gap that has grown over the last few years," Kevin Eder says.

ENDS

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