Creative ideas are creating potential in industry training

Creative thinking by an industry training organisation should help painters, masons, bricklayers and sign makers keep their industry skilled and moving forward despite tough economic times.

Creative Trades ITO has employed three Industry Training Co-ordinators to help industry employers establish up-skilling and training programmes within their businesses.  Based in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch the team will be encouraging employers and business owners create a culture of training in the workplace and support their staff to have their skills formally recognised. 

“Research shows that training on the job is good for everyone, the quality of work improves and the productivity goes up, which makes good business sense, and the social impact is evident with a marked increase in motivation and enthusiasm amongst the staff”, says Don Fraser, Creative Trades ITO Chief Executive.

Recruited from within the creative industries all three new staff members are familiar with both the education system and issues and barriers that businesses face on a daily basis so bring a new twist to the core service offered by the Creative Trades ITO.

As well as introducing businesses to the benefits of industry training, the Industry Training Co-ordinator team will also be working with employers that already have apprentices providing support and guidance to both parties as they work towards achieving a national certificate.

Says qualified sign maker and now Industry Training Co-ordinator, Sally Davis of Wellington, “I am really excited about this opportunity to help people achieve their goals – for both the business owner and the apprentice the end result will definitely be a positive one. It is great to be able to work in partnership with employers and play a part in ensuring the sustainability of our industries”.

There are currently over 21,000 people working in the brick and block laying, painting and decorating masonry, and sign making sectors and while each industry has a long history of training, numbers of apprentices in formal training has not kept up with the growing numbers of new businesses. 

“Across our industries over 60% of workers do not hold formal qualifications and with projected demographic changes there will not be enough skilled or qualified people in the workforce to replace those leaving, let alone to meet the future needs of the industry”. says Creative Trades Business Development Manager Ian Shepherd. “Supporting apprenticeships and formal recognition of skills should be a key focus for the industries we cover”

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