Scaffolding on Immediate Skills Shortage List

Victory for SARNZ campaign as scaffolding returns to Immediate Skills Shortage List

A shortage of skilled scaffolders in New Zealand has been averted after the Department of Labour returned scaffolding to the Immediate Skills Shortage List (ISSL) following a campaign by Scaffolding and Rigging New Zealand (SARNZ).

The industry body warned last year the Department of Labour risked stalling the country’s economic recovery after it removed scaffolding from the ISSL.

Now, the Department of Labour has announced scaffolding is back on the list, easing fears in the industry about the impact of an acute shortage of up to 200 skilled scaffolders.

The shortage had forced companies to enlist labourers to assist with scaffolding tasks, meaning greater supervision, lower productivity and ultimately higher costs. It also increased the risk of accidents and injuries on the country’s construction sites.

“The Department of Labour has rightly recognised that the shortage has always been, and continues to be, in the area of skilled scaffolders with sufficient experience and advanced qualifications to run a crew or a project,” said Graham Burke, president of SARNZ and director of Lower Hutt-based scaffolding firm Workzone.

Mr Burke said the industry was desperately in need of scaffolders with minimum practical experience of between five and 10 years in the industry and a breadth of experience in areas such as commercial, industrial and petro-chemical scaffolding.

“The construction industry is leading an economic upturn in New Zealand. With almost all construction activity requiring scaffolding, it is critical that we build an adequate skills base to meet the demand and maintain the highest levels of safety.

“We need to attract skilled scaffolders from places like the UK, where the recession has hit the construction sector much harder than in NZ.

“This, along with our ongoing local recruitment and training programmes, will build a broader industry base with higher overall skill levels,” Mr Burke said.

ENDS

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