We launched 15 regional reports as part of our Regional Construction Workforce Planning & Development Project in 2022.
The project closely examines construction workforce issues and opportunities across the country, incorporating historical data and insights derived from workshops that were held to share and review the implications of information stemming from the Workforce Information Platform (WIP).
Since its inception in June 2020, the WIP, a data-driven tool, has brought the construction and infrastructure sector’s challenges into even sharper focus, reinforcing, with clear evidence, what businesses are up against.
Managed by Waihanga Ara Rau, the WIP displays workforce gaps and surpluses within the national and regional construction labour markets as well as the pipeline of work by building type and workforce supply and demand.
We are proud to work alongside Civil Construction New Zealand (CCNZ) and got behind the launch of its new report focused on resolving civil infrastructure workforce challenges.
Developing a skilled civil construction workforce is sponsored by the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment and Ministry of Social Development. It explores how people can successfully enter civil construction with the skills they need to work.
The civil and infrastructure construction industry employs roughly 60,000 workers, who construct transport infrastructure, as well as water, energy, internet and communications networks. This is skilled work, requiring use of heavy equipment and technology. The skills to perform the work take significant time to develop – up to five years for a competent multi-skilled trade professional. The industry currently sees generating a skilled workforce as its single biggest challenge.
The report findings will enable the industry to take a lead role in addressing the challenges and opportunities in bringing new people into the industry, as well as better upskilling workers and working closer with partners in education and government.
A major report on how to transform the Three Waters workforce to support a thriving future industry was released in March 2022.
We Are Water – Ko Wai Tātau, Three Waters Workforce Development Strategy is a joint collaboration between Waihanga Ara Rau Construction and Infrastructure Workforce Development Council, Water New Zealand, Department of Internal Affairs, Taumata Arowai, Connexis, and industry.
It’s been estimated that this industry will need an additional 6000-9000 skilled workers over the next 30 years if we are to meet safe drinking water standards and improved environmental outcomes. That’s why we need a national strategy that can tell us exactly what our workforce needs are for the next 5 to 10 years and how we can develop long term career pathways to attract and retain workers.
The strategy has come up with a roadmap which includes four strategic goals – respect Māori interests and knowledge, create intuitive career pathways, design for career progression and design for success to support the transformational change needed.
These are underpinned by 14 recommendations. The next phase of mahi will involve working with industry to explore how the fourteen recommendations can be implemented.
Released in February 2022, the leading research report Re-Energise – Ngā Mahi A Māui, a workforce development strategy offers a deep dive into Aotearoa New Zealand’s Electricity Supply Industry talent shortage against a backdrop of rising electricity demand and a tight labour market.
The report is kickstarting a compelling industry-led conversation about how to futureproof the ESI and help it – and its workers – fulfil their potential. Waihanga Ara Rau Workforce Development Council developed the report with national stakeholders Connexis, Orion, Transpower, Genesis, Powerco, Counties Energy, Connetics and the Electricity Engineers’ Association (EEA) leading the conversation as key contributors.
Re-Energise – Ngā Mahi A Māui thoughtfully identifies four strategic goals and thirteen actionable recommendations to support a thriving workforce that can facilitate New Zealand’s move towards a cleaner future.
The goals outlined in the report are to increase visibility to attract the right people; design for intuitive career pathways; build a resilient workforce; and partner with Māori. Instrumental to this will be raising the profile of ESI as an attractive career opportunity; highlighting careers and pathways; supporting a diversity of genders and cultures; and inspiring Māori to enter the industry and thrive within it, among many other factors.
The next phase of mahi will involve working with industry to explore how the fourteen recommendations can be implemented.
