Christchurch welcomes new apprenticeship scheme

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Christchurch welcomes new scheme

3News NZ

Christchurch needs tradespeople to support its rebuild

Christchurch needs tradespeople to support its rebuild

The apprentice bonus announced in Prime Minister John Key's speech today has been welcomed in Christchurch, which is already struggling to attract enough tradespeople to the earthquake ravaged city.

Nelson College leaver Mitchell Drummond began his building apprenticeship in Christchurch on Wednesday, but he won't be eligible for the $2,000 payment under the Government's new apprenticeship scheme because it doesn't come into effect until April.

“It’s a bit disappointing or a bit gutting, but it'll awesome for the people that are starting in the role in the next couple of years,” he says.

Mr Drummond's boss Jim Stenberg is welcoming the scheme. He currently employs 13 apprentices.

“We're actually expanding as we talk, the whole insurance thing's starting to move and the opportunities are definitely there for more staff to come on board,” he says.

The scheme has also received support from the Registered Master Builders Association.

“More than ever there's going to be an influx over the next five to 10 years, so the more people we can get in the trade the better,” says the association’s president Clive Barrington.

The initiative has been welcomed in Christchurch, but it'll take more, much more, to ease the looming labour shortage in this broken city.

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Comments

29/01/2013 6:23:00 p.m.

Annoyed wrote:

Contrary to popular belief there is skilled labour in Christhurch, but due to a very slow rebuild and the seeking of low paid workers our skilled tradespeople are being left out in the cold! The dishonour in this is our young people are about to be exploited in the name of apprenticeship, which discustingly is way below minimum wage!!! A select few are to gain while the herd, "yet again" struggles to survive.

28/01/2013 10:51:45 p.m.

anonymous wrote:

just a way to pay unskilled people lower wages (stating out lower than minimum wage) instead of qualified tradespeople

27/01/2013 10:47:32 a.m.

Glenda wrote:

Of course the major construction companies are going to take up on this scheme..it's sad that the Government do what they do, and expect the tradie to work for peanuts, which is VERY typical in Aotearoa..onya Aussie..but spare a thought for the 'tradie's there', give them a break! Happy Australia Day..

26/01/2013 2:32:25 p.m.

Kiwi wrote:

Another National spin doctoring strategy which will benefit mainly the big players in construction in ChCh. The real issue in ChCh is that the major construction players wont pay decent money for qualified tradespeople so skilled labour has jumped the ditch. No surprise that many employers will love this scheme because apprentices are cheap labour! Amazing how National who chucked out the apprenticeship scheme years ago, a strategy which has creating a slump in the number of qualified tradespeople can suddenly claim credit for this! I guess we can expect a drop in the pricing of housing in the rest of the county though since builders wont have such high overheads - yeah right!

26/01/2013 1:15:04 p.m.

kelvyn wrote:

Should be great for the Australian economy. I wonder if they thought of building in some sort of bonding clause for those taking the training payment.