Conference calls for more women in the trades

Media release

October 4, 2016

Conference calls for more women in the trades

An inspiring conference this month will encourage more Kiwi women to learn a trade.

The Women in Trades Conference, supported in part by Māori and Pasifika Trades Training (MPTT) Auckland, will focus on opportunities for women in this fast-growing industry.

Kirk Sargent, MPTT Auckland Project Manager, says the trades has traditionally been a male-dominated industry, but this is changing.

“Many of the women who train with us are thriving, and we’re finding employers are welcoming diversity in their teams.”

Last year, 23 percent of MPTT Auckland trainees were women and the organisation is keen to see that rise to 40 percent in the next four years.

Nancy McConnell, MPTT Auckland board member and General Manager Corporate Affairs for Hawkins Group, says the trades offer great career paths for women.

“There's a wide variety of jobs and opportunities as the industry grows. Combined with a small business aptitude, there’s also the potential to work for yourself and have the independence and flexibility that can give you.”

More and more women are carving out a successful career in the trades industry, says Nancy.

“The awareness of what the trades can offer is increasing among women, and we’ve seen growth in the number of women coming into construction,” she says.

“Success in the trades today – for both men and women – is not only about being a competent tradie; it’s about good communication, problem solving skills and being able to work as a team. We’re seeing many women excel in these areas.”

Nancy will be a keynote speaker at the conference in October, alongside Hon. Minister Louise Upston and Hon. Sir Pita Sharples.

The conference will feature workshops run by industry insiders such as builder Carla Tonga, who featured on TVNZ’s Our First Home.

It will also discuss opportunities for free trades education via scholarships, and support through mentoring and apprenticeships.

The ‘Women Build Futures 2016 Women in Trades Conference’ will open on October 6 with a conference dinner at Unitec in Auckland.

This will be followed by the main conference session on October 7 at Manukau Institute of Technology’s Pasifika Community Centre in Otara.

To find out more or register, visit http://womenintrades.org.nz/main/index.html

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About the Women Build Futures 2016 Women in Trades Conference

This inaugural conference is sponsored by Unitec, Johnstone Construction, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, Hawkins Group, National Association of Women in Construction NZ, Fletcher Building, Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO), MITO New Zealand, Competenz, Skills, Kelston Girls’ College, Connexis, Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT), ServiceIQ and Māori and Pacific Trades Training: Auckland. Product contributors include PB Technologies, Stanley Black & Decker, The Better Drinks Company, Pizza Hut, Wendy’s, Ecko Fastening Systems, Jaycar Electronics, Toyworld, Infometrics, Ministry for Women, AEG Powertools and Resene.

About MPTT: Auckland
Auckland Māori and Pacific Trades initiative (AMPTI) is the legal name for the consortium of Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT), Unitec Institute of Technology (Unitec) , Te Wānanga o Aotearoa (TWoA), Hawkins Group, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Whai Maia, Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO), The Skills Organisation, Competenz, Connexis, The Fono’s Oceania Career Academy, G & H Training, Skills4Work, Service IQ and MITO.

For more information, visit www.maoripasifikatrades.co.nz

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