Concern about industry skill shortages in light of growth

MEDIA RELEASE

29 July 2015

Concern about industry skill shortages in light of growth in construction activity

Certified Builders welcomes the latest National Construction Pipeline report which shows continued growth in demand for building and construction in New Zealand. While this is encouraging for the industry, a broader concern is the shortfall in skilled tradespeople and commensurate risks for building quality.

Certified Builders Chief Executive, Grant Florence, said “The report provides a positive signal for the industry that there’s going to be an ongoing stream of work to look forward to. However, a key issue is whether there are enough trade qualified builders to do the work.

“There’s a risk of complacency in the context of the Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP) scheme, which was designed to give consumers confidence that the licensed tradespeople they employ meet standards and perform building work competently, but which has major shortcomings.

“It’s essentially a box-ticking exercise that involves tradespeople filling out a form and paying a fee. The LBP scheme needs to be strengthened to include more robust minimum standards of training and skill and more stringent requirements for ongoing professional development.

“Without adequate strengthening of the LBP scheme, our concern is that this could compromise the quality of building work, which obviously isn’t good for consumers and reflects badly on the industry as a whole,” said Mr Florence.

In the absence of a strengthened LBP scheme, one thing for consumers to look out for when employing builders and tradespeople is whether they are a member of a trade association. Certified Builders is the only building trade association in New Zealand that requires trade qualification for membership, and provides ongoing professional development and support for its members.

“The steady growth that we are experiencing in new members reflects that more builders are recognising these benefits, especially the tools and the ongoing professional development opportunities we provide,” said Mr Florence.

Certified Builders helps address skill shortages in the industry by working closely with apprenticeship schemes and by encouraging its members to take on apprentices.

With around 20% growth over the last 12 months, a record number of over 1,000 apprentices are currently enrolled in the Industry Training Association Building (ITAB) apprenticeship scheme, which is supported by Certified Builders. The scheme is more comprehensive than shorter schemes and provides extensive practical experience and solid theoretical training.

“High-quality, qualified builders are vital for the future of our country,” said Mr Florence.

ENDS

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