Language barriers complicate building licensing

Tuesday, 17 April 2007

Language barriers further complicate building licensing requirements – MIT director

MIT pilots language and numeracy support in trade and technology programmes

Construction workers who do not speak English as a first language are going to face tough challenges when it comes to meeting the licensing requirements under the new Building Act, according to director of Manukau Institute of Technology’s Department of Technology, Paul Jeurissen.

Under the act, voluntary licensing begins in November this year and becomes compulsory by November 2009 (although the date for carpentry is 2011). It is expected that approximately 28,000 practitioners will be licensed by that year, representing just 19% of the total current construction workforce.

“The reality is that the majority of workers in the industry don’t have a qualification so a large amount of upskilling will be required,” says Paul.

“The process of becoming licensed is going to be difficult enough for current participants in the industry who speak English as their first language, with workers having to compile statutory declarations, project records, regulatory assessments and references. This is complicated paperwork.

“I think the issue of English as a second language is being drastically underestimated, particularly in the Auckland market. The huge pool of migrant construction workers will need training and support. And on top of this we’re dealing with a skills shortage.”

MIT is tackling the issue head on by providing a literacy support person in many of the technology department’s classes. The department is also piloting additional language and numeracy support in its furniture making, auto electrical and panel and painting courses. A new construction school, on track to open next year, will mean that MIT is ideally set up to face the upskilling challenge.

“At the moment there is very little roofing, bricklaying and plastering training being carried out in the polytechnics. Bringing these trades into MIT would enable us to target the huge pool of migrant workers in the Counties Manukau catchment area.”

The institute also focusing on introducing site-based literacy programmes where the learning is based around the practical tasks.

“The public has to have its major asset – the house – protected,” says Paul, “but there is a price to be paid for regulation and that will be a slowing down in the building industry. At MIT we believe that if we can anticipate the problems we will be part of the solution.”

ENDS

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