For the first time, New Zealand has a dedicated certification for fluid power engineering, providing new training and career path options to those in the hydraulics and pneumatics industries The Certificate in Fluid Power Engineering Fundamentals (Level 3) approved by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) is the result of sustained effort by several key people in the industry and of a newly formed New Zealand Fluid Power Association. Continue →

This summer, Fire and Emergency New Zealand’s specialist high angle rescue team was called in to ‘rescue’ a Watercare staff member from the Wairoa Dam valve tower in the Hūnua Ranges Auckland’s water and wastewater service provider Watercare has been working closely with emergency services to put its rescue plans to the test before they’re needed. Continue →

There has been a significant increase in the number of women joining the construction industry, however, they are still significantly underrepresented, making up just 15% of the trades and construction industry When Rebecca Gornall, Health and Safety Manager at Mansons TCLM Limited, first started her role in commercial construction six years ago she was one of the only females on site. Continue →

The New Zealand Institute of Safety Management (NZISM) has recently released resources to support the development of the Health and Safety Representative (HSR) community The HSR Knowledge Wheel is a capability framework for HSRs, articulating the knowledge, skills, and attributes that HSRs can develop to set them up for success. Continue →

BCITO – Te Pūkenga and Ako Aotearoa are joining forces to support neurodiverse learners in the building and construction sector to complete their apprenticeships According to recent statistics, at least 10% of New Zealanders, approximately 750,000 individuals, struggle with dyslexia, while an additional 5% have related neurodiverse conditions. Continue →

Recruitment Storyteller is a new campaign to support the construction and infrastructure sector to recruit international workers The world is experiencing a global talent shortage and New Zealand is not immune to this. Continue →

A new set of modern, fit-for-purpose forklift operating guidelines has been developed by the New Zealand Forklift Industry Association to replace the current outdated and inadequate industry guidance The newly published Forklift Good Practice Guidelines (GPG) provides information and guidance to those involved in operations that involve forklifts. Continue →

The construction industry has a strong Filipino presence, yet they are not typically very vocal during English-spoken training Earlier this year, new Field Officer Ronald Tuano delivered MATES in Construction New Zealand’s first Tagalog General Awareness Training. Continue →

A group of 103 students from Whitireia and WelTec (Te Pūkenga) are set to enter the workforce as electrical apprentices, having just graduated with the level three New Zealand Certificate in Electrical Engineering Theory The one year programme of study has equipped graduates with practical, hands on knowledge and skills to start them on their journey to becoming qualified electricians. Continue →

A new industry group will align temporary traffic control training with formal qualifications through the New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF) The Temporary Traffic Management (TTM) Credential Framework Governance Group is leading a project to create a TTM Credential Framework that aligns with both industry training practices and nationally recognised qualifications. Continue →

The Back 2 Basics health and safety programme is being rolled out across all of Watercare’s construction sites after reducing the number of reported incidents, Watercare major projects engineering manager Craig Matthewson says In 2020 Watercare initiated the Back 2 Basics programme to help reduce the number of preventable incidents across its construction sites. Continue →

The Government’s ‘Immigration Rebalance‘ fits within its political ideology, but is madness in the context of the current labour market, Civil Contractors New Zealand Chief Executive Alan Pollard says When the borders closed in 2020, it was always going to be a long road back. Continue →

Many school leavers are only aware of the ‘usual suspect’ trades they can pursue, but as Ollie Lovell discovered, there are more than 2,000 vocational education and training programmes, including apprenticeships, available in New Zealand – Fire Detection and Alarms (FD&A) being one Lovell discovered the FD&A trade while doing a pre-trade electrician course at the local Polytech. Continue →

New Zealand’s female secondary students have had a taste of careers in the infrastructure sector – and they’ve loved it ‘Girls with Hi-Vis’ (GWHV) has seen events held nationwide throughout June to offer young women the opportunity to visit infrastructure companies in their region with their school, to try first-hand some of the skills the sector requires and to hear from other women already succeeding in the industry. Continue →

A new Virtual Reality training package aims to tackle New Zealand’s poor safety record for working at heights The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment estimates the annual cost of injuries from falls while working at height to be $24 million, with approximately 70% of falls occurring from ladders or roofs. Continue →

Further investment into vocational education and training in Budget 2022 has been welcomed by the organisation leading New Zealand’s vocational training, Te Pūkenga. Continue →

Despite employers placing skills and talent shortages in their top three most urgent concerns, only half of employees feel skills development is a priority to their managers, Conerstone research finds The report, Thriving in the Global Skills Shortage: Your Path Through the Wilderness, found that nearly half of employers surveyed placed skills and talent shortages within their top three most urgent concerns in the next three years and identified a strong positive correlation between overall business performance and the quality of new skilling support and development opportunities offered to employees. Continue →

Following a successful pilot in Canterbury, the Infrastructure Skills Centre comes to Manawatū in November to give people the skills they need to start a successful career in infrastructure construction The course begins on 1 November.  Continue →

The civil construction and infrastructure industry has teamed up with government, industry bodies and employers to help meet New Zealand’s infrastructural skills challenge The Infrastructure Skills Centre has been developed jointly by Fulton Hogan, the Ministry of Social Development, Civil Contractors New Zealand, the Construction Sector Accord and a range of civil construction employers to give New Zealanders a unique range of experiences. Continue →

Applications are now open for Site Safe scholarships, supporting the health and safety leaders of tomorrow to complete their Health and Safety in Construction programme Each year, Site Safe supports the construction health and safety leaders of tomorrow by awarding scholarships to complete their Health and Safety in Construction programme. Continue →