Building Careers Week 2007

Media release
7 September

Building Careers Week 2007

Advice on hand for budding apprentices and prospective employers

Promoting careers in building and construction and helping reduce the industry’s skills shortages are the aims of the third annual Building Careers Week, being held from September 10-16.

Run by the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO), Building Careers Week involves a series of information evenings and breakfast events to highlight the range of career options available to young people in the industry and to encourage employers in the building sector to take on and train an apprentice.

BCITO chief executive officer Ruma Karaitiana says Building Careers Week has been one of the major drivers in boosting the uptake of building apprenticeships in the past couple of years.

“We’ve achieved some impressive growth in the number of apprentices training in the building and construction sector. But there’s still a way to go in order to future proof the industry’s demand for a highly skilled and professional workforce,” says Mr Karaitiana.

“There are more than 9500 apprentices currently training with the BCITO and over 1000 people will achieve a national certificate this year, which is fantastic for the industry and the general public – knowing there are more qualified people working on our building sites.”

A popular feature of Building Careers Week is the school Build-Ability Challenge, in which high school students involved in BCITO’s Elementary Construction Skills courses formed teams to construct a purpose-built rabbit hutch. This year, 18 teams from 16 schools throughout the country participated in the Build-Ability Challenge.

Events that take place during Build Careers Week include the BCITO Barbecue Breakfasts, which will be held at nine hardware retailers nationwide. BCITO training advisers will be on hand to talk to tradespeople about the BCITO apprenticeship system as they collect their building supplies for the day.

There are also five information evenings taking place in major centres during the week for parents and school leavers to learn more about building career options. These will be held Auckland, Wellington, Tauranga, Ashburton and Christchurch.

This year the BCITO in the Bay of Plenty region has introduced BCITO Bus Trips, which are invitation-only events in Whakatane, Whitianga and Gisborne where students are taken on a tour of local building projects to see first-hand what it’s like to be a part of the construction industry.

For more details about the information evenings, either contact one of the BCITO’s regional offices, phone 0800 422 486 or go to www.bcito.org.nz.

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