CHALLENGES OF TRAINING

Builders’ Business is a column by builders for builders. Its objective is to provide a forum, particularly for small business operators, in which to share knowledge, experience, tips and ideas

Q: What do you find most challenging about taking on a new apprentice?

Firm: Johnny Neil Building

Principal: Johnny Neil

Location: South Taranaki

Staff: 17

I’ve had some challenges in training apprentices, with the younger personnel coming through not fully prepared to commit. Sometimes it’s the lack of necessary knowledge, and other times it can be an absence of enthusiasm for the type of work we do.

For many of the young individuals coming in to the industry, life is moving fast and there is difficulty committing to the culture and hard work required in the construction industry. This sometimes leads to them taking days off to do things that aren’t necessarily worthy of missing out on work for.

In saying that, I’ve had some talented apprentices come through and they’ve become part of our family and contributed to our dedicated team right from the start.

There is obviously a shortage of skills, and that means many businesses are taking a chance on younger individuals to plug the gaps. I think it places more of an emphasis on making sure employers hire the right personnel to ensure they get a return on their investment.

Firm: Werder Construction

Principal: Jarrod Werder

Location: North Taranaki

Staff: 12

I can’t say we’ve ever had a bad time with any of our apprentices. We currently have one training with us. We typically take on older apprentices — those in their late twenties — and they tend to bring with them more life skills and a mature attitude.

We haven’t had a young person take up an apprenticeship with us, but despite hearing some stories of young individuals creating some issues for other employers, I wouldn’t be totally against it.

There are pre-trade courses that prepare younger aspiring workers well enough for the challenges they’d face in an apprenticeship. However, we appreciate how well the older apprentices accept mentorship and commit to our ethos, as it helps us avoid any challenges while we guide them through training.

Firm: M O Brown Builders Limited

Principal: Mike Brown

Location: Christchurch

Staff: 10

We only have one apprentice right now. We generally don’t experience many challenges, as most apprentices we’ve taken on have been driven and dedicated to carving out a career in construction.

We’re lucky enough to have many of our apprentices stay with us and we see our investment pay off. There have been some young apprentices come through, but most would be 20 or 21 years old.

We believe part of our success is having a good recruitment process. We have networks with the Ara Institute of Canterbury, which helps us identify individuals who have proven they have what it takes. BCITO is always helpful, too.

However, I can understand how some employers might have problems with some kids fresh out of school, as they might not have the work ethic required for this industry.

NOW HAVE YOUR SAY…

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT CHANGES TO THE LBP SCHEME PROPOSED IN MBIE’S BUILDING REFORMS?

ANSWER THIS QUESTION TO ENTER OUR QUARTERLY PRIZE DRAW

Email your answer with your full name, contact phone number, company name, number of full-time staff and the city or town in which you’re based to editor@pmundersconstruction.co.nz. All responses must be submitted by 25 June 2019. The answers to this question will be published in Under Construction August/September 2019.