CGF offers funded mentorships

Construction Growth Foundation (CGF) is partnering with Business Mentors New Zealand (BMNZ) to deliver mentoring to help strengthen business capability in the construction sector. To achieve this, it is funding mentorship opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses  

The initiative addresses a key issue for the sector, where smaller firms predominate and many struggle to maintain financial sustainability long term, as reflected by the fact that half close fewer than five years after beginning trading.  

Under the partnership agreement, CGF will fund mentoring registrations for 12 months from 1 May 2025, which will enable BMNZ’s mentoring support to be offered to small (up to 20 FTEs) businesses that are members of a CGF member association. Click here to see if you belong to a CGF member association.  

Successful applicants will receive a year’s mentoring, gaining access to tailored, one-on-one support from BMNZ’s national pool of over 1,500 experienced volunteer mentors. 

A chance to build a business foundation 

CGF’s Chief Executive, Brian Dillon, said many small and medium-sized (SME) construction business owners are highly skilled in their trade or profession but may not have had the opportunity to build up business knowledge.  

“By offering this mentoring support, we’re responding to the need to develop business skills, which will ultimately benefit the sector as a whole. We’re delighted to partner with BMNZ given their track record of empowering kiwi businesses across a range of sectors for the past 34 years,” said Dillon. 

BMNZ connects entrepreneurs and SME owners with experienced volunteer mentors who offer practical guidance on everything from managing staff to growing revenue and overcoming industry-specific challenges. 

Interested business owners can register for mentoring support by clicking here and specifying which organisation they are affiliated with and why a mentor would benefit them.  

Vital support 

BMNZ’s Chief Executive, Sarah Trotman, said the organisation has supported over 80,000 businesses to date, including some in the construction sector, and knows that support for trade businesses is urgently needed. 

“We know business owners in the construction trades and professions are facing significant pressures – from skills shortages to rapid growth demands. A mentor who has ‘been there and done that’ can make a huge difference. CGF’s support through this partnership enables us to reach more of these business owners and equip them with the guidance they need to succeed long term,” said Trotman. 

The Building and Construction Training Fund (BCTF) was established in October 2021 after changes came into effect following the previous government’s Review of Vocational Education (RoVE). This resulted in the disestablishment of the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO), from which BCTF emerged. In April 2025 it adopted a new constitution, from which the name changed to Construction Growth Foundation (CGF). A core focus of CGF’s strategy is capability-building and skills development to support the long-term resilience and sustainability of its member associations and the sector as a whole.