Issue 1 | Thursday, 15 February 2018
A NZME Custom Publication
Education Future Central Focus
The skills employers want Behind the construction skills shortage
The degrees that count
Informs. Inspires. Educates. | EducationCentral.co.nz/FutureFocus
1 | Thursday, 15 February 2018
EducationCentral.co.nz/FutureFocus
Contents Editor’s note
W
elcome to the first issue of EducationCentral FutureFocus – a quarterly magazine covering New Zealand’s burgeoning education sector. The launch is timely as 2018 is set to be a very interesting year. The new Labour-led government has education high on its agenda and that’s good news for students – 80,000 of whom will be eligible for fees-free grants – and for employers – 72 per cent of which are finding it hard to recruit skilled staff. But choosing what to study can be a difficult decision in our ever-changing, tech-led working world. Inside we canvas opinion from a range of local experts and commentators. They all agree that noEducationCentral editor one really knows what’s going to happen Greg Fleming. 10 years out, the ability for candidates to adapt to change is key, but a few professions seem a sure bet. Engineering, marketing, health, teaching and digital skills continue to be in high demand. Additionally, with the continuing investment in infrastructure and housing, trade training is a great option; especially for those who excel at practical rather than academic skills. There’s the added advantage that trainees are qualified quickly and, in some cases, can start earning while they learn. Indeed there’s never been a better time to pull on a fluoro vest, hard hat and steel cap boots. Inside I look at an exciting new programme Kiwi Can Do that gets marginalised young people off the couch and into the construction industry, using skilled, older tradespeople as mentors. It’s a programme that’s been a winner for everyone involved – not only helping close our construction skills gap, but also changing lives in the process. Greg Fleming
2: How to futureproof your career
3: Bridging the skills and generation gap
5: The trade advantage
7: Soft skills key
8: Earning, learning and having fun
9: Apprenticeship kick-starts beautiful career
9: Tips for first-year students
11: Auckland’s construction crunch
13: Tomorrow’s skills now
14: The degrees that count
Inside Editor
Contributor
Gregory Fleming gregory.fleming@nzme.co.nz
Jude Barback judith.barback@nzme-ed.co.nz 07 542 3013
Advertising Charles Ogilvie-Lee 04 915 9794 charles.ogilvie-lee@nzme-ed.co.nz Jill Parker 04 915 9798 jill.parker@nzme-ed.co.nz
Commercial Manager Fiona Reid
Production Aaron Morey
The next issue of EducationCentral publishes 24 May.
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Software development is still one of the most in-demand global skill sets. Pic: Getty.
How to future-proof One of the hardest things about choosing a potential career is knowing what industries and skills will be in demand by the time you’ve completed your tertiary studies. Raewyn Court reports.
W
ith the future of work changing so rapidly, it’s difficult to predict which jobs will be available in just a few years’ time. However, Careers New Zealand advises that some long-standing, high-demand industries have traditionally offered good opportunities and are expected to employ many people in the future: yy Health – demand for workers will continue to grow because our population is ageing. yy Education – there is high demand for teaching and training services. yy Social services – our ageing population will drive demand for social support. yy Personal services – trades, accommodation, hospitality, transport, communications, property and business services. yy Agriculture and horticulture – high demand for our dairy, meat and fruit products will lead to more jobs.
“The likes of Massey and AUT have developed specific industry qualifications to counteract this market trend, but there is still a huge need for people with good knowledge in the data space.” Students keen on IT and wondering which area is likely to offer good opportunities in the future should be looking into any IT industry that offers some kind of automation, says Blackwell. “The likes of machine learning, artificial intelligence, augmented reality or virtual reality and the other two core areas of data and software development are, for the foreseeable future, going to be major growth areas.” He adds that within the technology space there aren’t many areas in decline, “but the main one is that hardware (servers, racks and switching) is becoming more redundant as the cloud technology bubble takes off.”
In addition to these traditional fields, there are emerging industries and new employment opportunities in existing industries to consider: yy Biotechnology – especially medical drugs and equipment. yy Food and beverage – our dairy, seafood and wine industries continue to grow, with insatiable demands from consumers for fresher, tastier products. yy Creative – movie-making is well established and tipped to grow. yy Information technology – our fastest-growing export sector.
Matt Walker manages Michael Page’s engineering and manufacturing sector and says that in the field of engineering, the technical fields are highly sought after, “and salaries are commensurate to the lack of experienced candidates out there.” He says civil engineering is a growth sector where recruiters can’t find people quickly enough. “New Zealand will continue to invest in its infrastructure, particularly in large-scale transport projects, and for this they need qualified engineers and designers.” Walker says production management is one engineering industry that’s experiencing severe skill shortages. “As manufacturers in New Zealand grow from being privately owned domestic enterprises to ones who wish to export and compete in the major growth markets, then the skill sets, particularly around operations, dramatically change,” he says. “Clients require managers who have been exposed to WCM/Lean (world class) manufacturing and can identify opportunities for reduced costs per unit and therefore a more competitive product. Associated ISO standards and export regulations also put great pressure on companies to find candidates who can allow for their product to be exported, but more critically with limited recalls and high reliability.” Project engineering and advanced engineering positions requiring tertiary qualifications are some of the industries that are likely to grow and offer good opportunities for graduates in future, says Walker.
Software development Jamie Blackwell, who manages the technology area at recruitment specialists Michael Page, says software development is still one of the most in-demand skill sets globally. “Here in New Zealand we’ve developed a strong reputation for dynamic and game-changing technology solutions – the most well-known being MYOB and Xero. These organisations are always on the lookout for strong software developers and have a good solid graduate programme to assist you once you’ve finished your chosen tertiary study.” Blackwell notes that some areas in IT are experiencing severe skill shortages at present and are likely to for the foreseeable future. “Data analytics and data science have only recently become a staple within the IT industry and it has taken a few years for the tertiary providers to catch up,” he says.
Engineering and manufacturing
your career “Create a plan … and follow it. Make sure it is something you want to do and are passionate about.”
Have a plan
It may not be easy to make study choices entirely future-proof, but Walker believes the key is to decide on what you want to do early. “Create a plan around this, including what education you will need and what work experience you want to get during university, and follow it. Make sure it is something you want to do and are passionate about.” Walker says it’s easy to make the mistake of falling into a job and then feeling the need to make dramatic career changes in your 30s. “Find what you’re good at and study it. Failing that, I would suggest business studies is hugely transferable and will add great value to a student, but won’t shut any doors on the way.”
Employers want yy yy yy yy yy yy yy
a positive attitude good communication self-management skills a willingness to learn an ability to work in a team thinking skills resilience.
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Bridging the skills and generation gap Kiwi Can Do transitions unemployed from benefit into the construction industry and there’s not a pen or pencil in sight. By Greg Fleming
I
t’s so simple it’s a wonder it hasn’t been done before – pay experienced older tradespeople to help skill 18 to 25-year-olds not currently in employment, education or training. The three-week programme builds confidence and purpose and gets trainees work-ready, ensuring they turn up on time, put in an honest day’s work, become a team-player and start mapping out a productive future. “I tell them if you want a certificate go somewhere else, but if you want a job you’re in the right place,” says Iain Morrison, Kiwi Can Do’s managing director who helped develop the programme. “But we encourage their subsequent employers to enter into training agreements to gain qualifications,” he says. The programme has been so successful that now family members are referring others in their whānau to it. And thanks to New Zealand’s building boom there’s never been a better time to pull on a flouro vest, a hard hat and steel cap boots. Trainees are being welcomed by big and small construction companies in Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga. Mr Morrison says that most of the young people they deal with have struggled at school; many have not had any positive male role models in their lives. “Book learning is not for them. These young people learn by doing and respond well to an older mentor.” The mentors – some in their 70s – talk to the trainees like a grandfather or uncle might.
“That’s important because many trainees have had only negative experiences with authorities like the police or social welfare.” Best of all the only requirements to join the programme are a positive attitude and a genuine desire to get a job. Many of the trainees come from places such as Kaikohe, Kawerau or Katikati where full-time work opportunities are limited. “We put them in their safety gear, drug test them, organise their Site Safe certificates and upgrade their drivers’ licences.” The programme not only builds confidence, it also helps them through their job interviews and helps resettle them if they should need to move for a job. Once they are in work Kiwi Can Do keeps in touch for up to six months to make sure they’re staying on track. The programme has been developed over the last four years in tandem with the Industry Partnership team at the Ministry of Social Development. “Without being too critical I think our education system is missing the boat,” says Mr Morrison. “We are in the middle of the biggest construction boom in our country’s history. Young men and women are failing in our schools, and kids are dropping out. 20 to 25 per cent of school leavers can’t read or write. The schools are not geared up to do this sort of training. The need for tradies is now and it is immediate.”
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“This is a millenniums-old way of younger people learning how to do tasks from a skilled older person” Iain Morrison, Kiwi Can Do’s managing director The course includes a residential component for the out-of-towners run from the 40-bed Otimai Lodge in Oratia, West Auckland – formerly the Girl Guides Association’s Auckland base. Day-only trainees are bused to the training site from all over Auckland City. The focus is on hands-on experiential learning, rather than study and text-based learning. “This is a millenniums-old way of younger people learning how to do tasks from a skilled older person.”
Once the trainees make the first rung of the employment ladder, they are then often ready to invest their time and money to get a qualification. “We just give them a platform from which to grow.” On the web http://kiwi-can-do.co.nz
Kiwi Can Do mentor Barry Staples (on left) with Kiwi Can Do trainee Valentine Kaka. Pic: Ted Baghurst.
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The trade advantage
There is a high expectation to attend university these days – but is it for everyone? And is the money better in a trade? By Lawrence Watt
D
espite the high pay that some experienced tradesmen now earn, in some cases $100,000 a year or more, there is a recurring shortage of people entering all the trades in New Zealand. The shortage driving high pay is not new. Trade trainers believe it is part of a national mind-set that university is best for most – and that somehow, being a tradie is second best. Electricians and plumbers are the best paid among the trades. Jeremy Sole, chief executive of apprentice trainer, Electrical Training Company (ETCO), estimates pay rates for qualified electricians are currently between $60 and $80 an hour. That’s $2000– $3200 for 40 hours of chargeable time. “Go to the boat ramp and the person launching the boat is likely to be a tradesman,” he says. Overtime is common although for safety reasons Sole does not want sparkies working more than 15 hours of overtime a week. These are pay rates, not charge-out rates, which are higher. A glance at Trade Me Jobs confirms his figures – showing electricians’ positions ranging from $75,000 to $100,000, the higher end being for maintenance work at large firms. Without reference to any formal study, Sole reckons it takes at least 10 years, after graduation, for university graduates to catch up with what trades people have earned,
and even then, he believes it is probably only the well-paid professionals who do. Sole says trade smen’s high pay rates are nothing to do with Auckland’s building boom – there has been a shortage of electricians (now up to 3000 he estimates) for years. He believes there is a mind-set for school leavers to attend university, even though not everyone is suited to it. “Some kids are pushed into university, when they are not ready,” he says. He would like more school leavers to become electricians, then after working for a few years, consider if they wish to return to study (in engineering). Few people do this. “The traditional pathway is quite linear – it needn’t be that way.” Entrants generally need Level two maths, physics and English to be accepted into an electrician’s apprenticeship, which takes three and a half years. If somehow your school experience at maths or science did not work and your passion is strong, he says they will try to make it work for you. The old expression “Where there’s muck, there’s brass,” does not help plumbing’s image problem. Greg Wallace, chief executive of Master Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers NZ, says careers advisers do not encourage young people into the trades and help foster the view that it is dirty work. Few school leavers become plumber’s apprentices, the average apprentice’s age being 23.
Registered plumbers can expect to earn good money. Pic: Getty
“Go to the boat ramp and the person launching the boat is likely to be a tradesman” Jeremy Sole, CEO ETCO But it’s a great trade to have. Registered plumbers can expect to earn $60,000 to $77,000; $80,000 to $100,000 if not more for self-employed plumbers. Charge-out rates are currently $85 an hour, says Watercare.
Typical Trade Me ads for experienced plumbers are $38–$40 an hour. Wallace estimates there’s a shortage of 2000 plumbers nationwide.
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Planting a billion trees in ten years is a huge challenge. The government’s aim is long term – for employment and climate change targets decades into the future. Today’s children will get the rewards when they are grown up. The new trees could add 500,000 hectares to New Zealand’s established 1.7 million hectares of plantation forests. That land is our contribution already. We’ll produce 32 million cubic metres of logs for timber this year and we replant the land after we harvest. We look forward to sharing; with government, iwi and farmers, all of the great future which comes with growing trees. Let’s plant.
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Soft skills key
Lawrence Watt talks to EMA chief executive Kim Campbell about the skills shortage and what employers are looking for in candidates.
Kim Campbell, CEO of EMA.
Never underestimate the importance of soft skills like punctuality, good presentation and getting on with others. Pic: Getty.
H
ow well do universities and polytechnics prepare graduates for the workplace? Will the jobs students are trained to do even be there in a decade’s time, a few years after they graduate? These are difficult questions, with concern about even doctors and lawyers being replaced, or augmented, by artificial intelligence, and too many young people training in areas like law, but not enough in others. The days of a university graduate looking forward to having one or two jobs, in a single career, for all of their lives, have arguably disappeared. And university degrees as a rule are not necessarily about giving people the skills they need for a particular job, argues Kim Campbell, chief executive of EMA (Employers and Manufacturers Association). They provide people with the general problem-solving skills they will need at work. Many practical skills can be taught directly by employers, or firms consulting to them. We catch up in Campbell’s office. Educated in both the United States and New Zealand, he comes at many issues eclectically and tactically. Although unemployment is now below five per cent and migrants are flooding into the country, it was only five years ago, Campbell says, that New Zealand had a net migration loss. Campbell says there is inevitably a delay of years when training highly skilled people. He recalls a story that publicity about a new Boeing aircraft has made thousands of Americans train as engineers. But it will be years before they finish their degrees and the skills shortage is met, and no-one really knows if the jobs will still be available when they graduate. “The speed with which the system responds is necessarily slow,” he says. Campbell believes what happens is that students and parents hear they can make a lot of money in a particular profession – then flock to law, accounting, MBAs or whatever field is fashionable. For many jobs – excluding obvious specialist areas - does it matter too much to an employer what a graduate’s degree is in? He reckons that graduates, whether in science, arts or law, tend to have similar problem-solving skills. Senior managers can come from a variety of backgrounds. He knows a senior manager who studied photography. Students should study something they enjoy.
“ … important ‘soft skills’ or life habits that people learn at universities include the importance of showing up on time, getting on with people and striving to achieve things.” He says important ‘soft skills’ or life habits that people learn at universities include the importance of showing up on time, getting on with people and striving to achieve things. To a large degree, this leaves specific job training up to employers. So even if there are too many law graduates, the degrees provide good training in thinking, and are reasonably cheap. Many employers now offer courses – sometimes contracting out to private providers. Although it employs many manual workers, rather than graduates, Campbell says OPAC, (Opotiki kiwifruit packers), in the Bay of Plenty, is a good example for successful employer-based training, using a firm called Trade Education Ltd. Campbell says OPAC employs many people who were previously untrained or unemployed. Being drug-free is a condition of employment, but successful job training is a bridge to continued employment. Given the importance of farming to the national economy Campbell suggests universities like Massey should aim to be centres of excellence in farming, instead of offering the current wide range of courses and having a branch in Auckland. In these times of low unemployment (under five per cent), and where there is a skills shortage, Campbell reckons New Zealand could be better utilising our migrants, many of whom have done high-cost degrees overseas, but do lowskilled work here, like driving taxis. Campbell says red tape is preventing many trained migrants from fulfilling their potential in New Zealand. He notes thousands of taxi drivers are in this situation; former doctors and engineers who, for some reason, do not meet New Zealand’s professional qualifications criteria. “We need these people ... we need to recalibrate the education system,” he says.
Teaching soft skills So-called ‘soft skills’ like giving a good handshake, making eye contact, resilience, and working in a team, can make the difference to getting that first job after finishing university, school or any range of courses. When you are 16 or 17, these skills may not come naturally. Comet Auckland is an Auckland Council CCO and charity. Its Youth Employability Programme teaches these soft skills in a range of Auckland schools to students who will soon be looking for work. The programmes have been worked out with employers and are supported by the EMA. The skills that Comet Auckland focuses on include those basic ones that we learn on the job or socially, including giving a good handshake, making eye contact and conducting mock interviews. The programme isn’t just ‘chalk and talk’; it includes community work, work experience and workshops. It is being trialed in 16 Auckland schools and six others around the country.
The numbers yy According to a NZ EMA study: yy 72% of New Zealand employers are finding it hard to recruit skilled staff yy 56% say an ageing workforce will have an impact on their business yy 65% say there is or soon will be a skills shortage in their industry sector yy 36% are expecting their own businesses to grow over the next six months yy 58% have taken a disciplinary action relating to drugs or alcohol.
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Earning, learning and
having fun Esmey Parata can’t speak highly enough about her plumbing apprenticeship.
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lumbing was not included in careers advice at the girls’ high school Esmey Parata attended. Instead, she was strongly encouraged to go to university – but Esmey liked working with her hands and didn’t want a desk job. Hearing her brother’s and dad’s experiences of the plumbing industry opened her eyes to a potential career in the trade. A chance conversation in her local bank put Esmey in touch with Masterlink regional manager Roger Herd. Masterlink is a nationwide scheme that employs apprentices in plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying, matches them with firms and mentors them through to their qualifications. “Roger helped me with job experience and found me a place with a host company. He’s so supportive and I’m really thankful to him – and to my boss Sean Reynolds for giving me this opportunity.” Esmey is nine months into her four-year apprenticeship with Dunedin firm Gas & Water Ltd. She says she’s “fallen in love” with plumbing. “I’m constantly learning… and I have an income,” says Esmey. “It is hard work but fun. It’s cool trying different things. There’s never a dull moment.”
Esmey is receiving on-job training in plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying. So far her work has involved gas installations, bathroom renovations and big outdoor jobs. An early highlight was using a digger to rip up a school field and create trenches. She enjoys the construction work involved and the wide variety of people she meets – and the more she learns, the more confident she becomes. She recently completed her first block course on brazing (heating steel) using an oxyacetylene torch. “It was good being part of a group all doing that for the first time – knowing you’re not the only one facing a new challenge.” To her surprise, she’s also become a fan of clearing drains. “Drain clearing is problem-solving and – this might sound gross – I just love the sound! You feel that solid blockage, get to work on it, then it’s gone and you hear the water flowing… I find that really satisfying.” She’s not fussed when people say plumbing’s not a female job. “I know I’m just as capable as the guys. We’re like a family at Gas & Water and all get along really well. The team has been incredibly welcoming.” Esmey feels women bring a fresh dynamic to a male-dominated environment.
Esmey Parata is nine months into a four-year plumbing apprenticeship. Pic: Dave Garland (Gas & Water).
“We have a different way of thinking and doing things. We bring a whole different vibe to a team.” Esmey’s proud to have inspired one of her friends to pursue a career in plumbing. “She was jealous of all the fun I’m having!” she says. Once fully qualified, Esmey hopes to have her own business and, in due course, take on
her own apprentices. And she’ll tell them the plumbing trade’s not as scary as they may think. “A lot of people think a career in plumbing is just fixing toilets, but it’s way more than that. I’m passionate about opening people’s eyes to the possibilities. Everyone should do it!”
“Get a trade!” said the parents Our apprentices tell us it’s the best advice they ever had! Start your career as a plumbing, drainlaying and/or gasfitting apprentice without the burden of a massive student loan. Masterlink will place you with a well-established company – AND: • pay you a regular wage while you learn • cover all your training fees during your apprenticeship (up to five years) • kit you out with PPE gear and tools • support and guide you
Call us today for information about this profitable, secure, hands-on career.
Call Masterlink today on 0800 502 102 masterlink.co.nz Plumbing • Gasfitting • Drainlaying
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Apprenticeship kick-starts beautiful career Machaela Robbins says her HITO beauty therapy apprenticeship has been “rewarding and fun”.
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achaela Robbins’ boss was “blown away” when Machaela beat fierce competition from the hairdressing, barbering and beauty therapy sectors to emerge as New Zealand’s Apprentice of the Year at the 2017 HITO Industry Awards. It was the first time an apprentice from the beauty therapy industry had taken out the top spot at the annual awards. Machaela says she is still buzzing about the win. It was the icing on the cake for someone who is relishing the opportunity to become a great beauty therapist, all while earning and learning. It was her love of makeup that attracted her to beauty therapy initially. Her family and friends encouraged her to pursue a career in the industry and take on an apprenticeship. “I had a huge passion for makeup and part of studying makeup was having the foundation of beauty behind you. Doing this had led me to love beauty therapy as a whole and not just makeup.” Machaela says her apprenticeship has been “awesome”. The apprenticeship scheme is run by HITO, the Hair and Beauty Industry Training Organisation. It allows apprentices in the hairdressing, barbering and beauty therapy sectors to learn practical skills from their employer, which are then assessed to prove they’ve mastered the necessary skills to gain a professional qualification. Hairdressing and barbering apprentices will receive training from their employer and off-job training, while beauty therapy apprentices will complete all their training and assessment in the workplace. Each apprentice is supported by an expert and dedicated HITO sales and training manager (STA) who helps keep apprentices on track with their learning, supporting employers and their trainers to assist their training. Apprentices can either begin an apprenticeship from gaining employment if in the industry, or directly from school. Apprenticeships can take up to four years, depending on the industry, however getting though it much quicker is also achieveable. Machaela likes that HITO allows apprentices to complete the apprenticeship at their own pace, enabling a good balance between work, study and life. With a nearly-three-year-old in tow, this is important for her.
“I am coming up to having mine completed in just over a year.” She has enjoyed the support she has received from HITO and the other apprentices. “During your apprenticeship you meet and interact with a whole new support network of others going through the same assessments and units, so you can always ask for help – or even help and support others.” She loves working in the beauty industry and has her sights set on owning her own salon one day. “We are lucky to be able to give clients confidence and make them feel a million dollars – not all careers allow you to do this.” For now, however, her focus is on her work and completing her apprenticeship. Her advice for anyone on the fence about embarking on a HITO apprenticeship is simple. “Go for it!” she says, “I find it to be so rewarding and fun; you make awesome friends and you even get a career out of it.”
Wrapping qualifications around skills and experience Barber Peleti Oli, who runs and owns Somehz Touch Barbers Hastings, took a different pathway into his career. He learned the art of barbering from a close high school friend, who has since passed away. “It means my craft is very special to me. It’s like a gift,” he says. Conscious that he needed to have his skills formally recognised through some qualifications, Peleti sought out HITO’s ‘qualification by experience’ option, which guides barbers with at least three years’ experience to get qualified. Beauty therapists and hairdressers with five years’ experience can also pursue this pathway through HITO. It was a Barbercraft event run by HITO in Auckland that opened Peleti’s eyes to all sorts of possibilities – not just getting qualified, but opportunities for connecting with others in the industry and being inspired by other barbers. “Otherwise I’m limited by my own experience,” he says. The talented barber has since gone from strength to strength, last year taking out Barbercraft’s Open Creative title. And now Peleti is keen to share his craft with others. He takes
Machaela Robbins.
on aspiring barbers, including school leavers and vulnerable young people, and introduces them to the art of barbering. He is particularly passionate about helping Pacific people in his community. He’s even had some embark on HITO’s apprenticeship programme, of which he is a strong advocate. Peleti is enjoying the challenge of training up apprentices. “I’m learning so much,” he says. His efforts for helping people haven’t gone unnoticed. Last year the talented barber received the Pasifika Community Impact Award at the Got a Trade, Got it Made awards presented at Parliament.
Tips for firstyear students The first year at uni can be daunting, but it needn’t be – there are ways to ensure that when you get to class you're ready to learn. By Raewyn Court
S
ummer’s over and the first day of uni looms large, causing a few nerves about where to go and what to do, while trying not to look uncool in the process. One of the best ways to get good intel on uni life is to talk to a current student, and for advice on how to settle in and get the most out of the experience, second-year uni student Kalia Andrews looks back over her first year.
Accommodation Kalia lived at home and commuted by scooter and ferry from Waiheke Island to Auckland City’s AUT in her first year of a Bachelor of Design, majoring in digital design. She says living at home made uni a lot more affordable. “I didn’t have to pay rent or for food, which only really left travel costs.” The downside, she says, was that the commute could be very tiring as it meant getting up at 6am for an 8am class.
O-week
Practice run
Orientation programmes held at the end of February combine faculty tours with presentations and social gatherings designed to inform and connect new students with others. Kalia went along to AUT’s orientation day and found it a good way to get better acquainted with the uni space and where to find things. Kalia’s digital design degree is project-based rather than study-based, so she found that, while the lectures and events on the day were interesting, they would have been more useful for exam-based courses.
It can be useful to have a ‘practice run’ before the semester starts, to see how long it takes to get to uni and find your first class. Kalia didn’t bother with a practice run but she says, “I probably should have, because I missed the ferry by two minutes on the first day of uni! Luckily for me, almost all of my classes were on the same floor and relatively easy to find. But I would say you should try to find your classrooms during O-week, especially if they’re in the main building or if there is one class away from the rest of your classes.”
Student mentors AUT’s Student Ambassador, Unitec’s SUCCESS and the University of Auckland’s UniGuide programmes connect first-semester students with a student mentor who can advise on everything from buying books, using public transport and where to get a good coffee.
Students can expect a busy first term as they get used to a new environment, new schedules and an event-filled Orientation. Pic: Getty
Digital design student Kalia Andrews. Pic: supplied.
11 | Thursday, 15 February 2018
EducationCentral.co.nz/FutureFocus
Auckland’s
construction crunch Diana Clement looks at the reasons behind Auckland’s construction industry skill shortage.
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ew Zealand needs an extra 30,000 workers within two years to cope with a huge boom in the sector and any large construction companies such as Hawkins, Downer Group, Kalmar Construction, and others must look overseas for workers. As well as simply building sufficient housing for the region’s population, workers are needed for projects such as the City Rail Link, New Zealand International Convention Centre, a second harbour crossing, new hotels and many other construction/infrastructure ventures. The shortage spans project managers, project directors, commercial managers, quantity surveyors, health and safety professionals, and a wide range of labour. It’s not just the big names. The construction worker shortage hits virtually every business in the sector right down to one-man bands that are deciding whether or not to take on an apprentice.
Cranes crowd the Auckland skyline as a range of multi-million dollar projects are underway. Pic: Jason Oxenham.
“When my son left school he was given the impression if you are not smart enough to go to university then learning a trade was somehow second-best. (Trade training) is presented as a secondary alternative to year 12 and year 13 students who don’t get university entrance,” says Ball.
Micro-credentials acknowledge skills and study at a level other than that of certificates, diploma and degrees. “It gets a wider cohort on the ladder,” says Quinn. He expects some will go on to do a full apprenticeship once they are in the system, but the micro-credentials will be qualifications in their own right. NZQA is already running three micro-credential pilot projects.
“We would like to provide a pathway between being trade qualified and becoming a supervisor, foreman, project manager.”
Strategies to improve the situation
Apprentice shortage The difficulty for the industry is that training follows economic cycles and the trainers are in effect the employers, supplemented through polytechnics. After the GFC when demand for construction workers was decimated, fewer apprentices were taken on, says Warwick Quinn, chief executive of industry training organisation BCITO, which develops and implements industry qualifications for the building and construction sector. “What happens during a significant downturn is you shed apprentices,” says Quinn. “If there is a 10 per cent drop in construction, we drop 30 per cent in training.” Quinn says around 90 per cent of construction firms are small businesses of five or fewer employees. “They need security of work for an apprenticeship, so they hunker down until they have confidence to take people on, which means there is an 18-month to two-year lag.”
Issues with trade training Gérard Ball, building surveying manager at Babbage Consultants has strong views about trades training in New Zealand. One of the issues, he says, is that the large construction companies subcontract to other businesses and as a result no longer provide large-scale training to apprentices. “Subcontractors are just hired guns from one contract to the next,” says Ball. “You end up with a demotivated, itinerant workforce, which has a huge impact.”
Right hands to the tools Getting the right hands on the tools and bums on seats in training institutions isn’t easy. Ball says the problem goes right back to schools promoting tertiary training as the ultimate goal for all.
One issue that Ball’s son encountered was a sizeable percentage of the apprentices in block courses were giggling and throwing things around rather than learning. “They are not really there for the right reasons.”
Are institutes providing the right skill mixes? Construction has changed a lot over the last 30 years and training is playing catch-up. BCITO is seeing a growing demand for bite-sized skills for workers employed, delivering single tasks. Up until recently funding rules meant that ITOs couldn’t offer micro-credentials, says Quinn. Yet many construction-related companies can’t offer the full scope of work needed for an apprenticeship. “We work in a box provided by government,” says Quinn. “That box needs to be more flexible.” A BCITO scheme offering micro-credentials is due to launch shortly once logistics with NZQA and other government bodies have been finalised, says Quinn.
Every kid is one great teacher away from being a success story. Inspired by Josh Shipp
There is no lack of businesses and government/ nongovernmental bodies with ideas and programmes to solve the construction industry staffing problem. Quinn would like to see trades training raised in status by NZQA and in schools. He says as well as the presumption that going to university will result in a better outcome there is an issue with the NZQA framework, which values a trade below degrees, sending the wrong message to potential construction workers. Then at the other end of the apprenticeship, the qualified trades’ people lack the supervisory and management skills to move up, Quinn says. “We would like to provide a pathway between being trade qualified and becoming a supervisor, foreman, project manager. “In the past those skills effectively resided in another qualification. Providing weekend or residential courses could solve that gap. People want to do it at a time, pace and convenient location for them.” Employers, industry groups and Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) launched a social media campaign under the hashtag #BuildAKL, to entice young people into construction and infrastructure. The campaign is designed to raise the number and diversity of roles within the sector, from entry-level jobs to apprenticeships and skilled jobs requiring qualifications. It focuses on 16 to 24-year-olds, women, and Māori and Pasifika. Others such as Fletchers are also focusing on young people still in the schooling system by providing work experience to some high school students.
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13 | Thursday, 15 February 2018
EducationCentral.co.nz/FutureFocus
Tomorrow’s skills now
As the world of work changes so are some of our long-held beliefs around skills and careers. By Donna McIntyre
Students should be developing an essential set of knowledge, abilities and personal qualities that will help them to build a career through multiple jobs. Pic: Getty
A
sking your child constantly what they want to do when they grow up is an outdated ridiculous question. So says 21C Skills Lab co-founder and co-director Justine Munro. She reasons that the jobs they will do may not have been invented yet. The content of existing jobs will evolve dramatically. And skills required will change constantly. People will work in a variety of different contexts – as employees, contractors, independent producers, entrepreneurs – and they will need to constantly renew and deepen their skills through formal education, on-the-job experience or otherwise. Rather than young people thinking about what type of work they want to do, they should be developing an essential set of knowledge, abilities and personal qualities that will help them to build a career through multiple jobs over the course of a lifetime. “Yet, this focus on jobs – lawyer, social worker, builder – is still the way schools, tertiaries and parents talk to students,” says Munro. “We need to equip young people to think strategically about what skills they want to acquire.”
Munro and Faye Langdon started Aucklandbased 21C Skills Lab early this year. Both have backgrounds in education and business. Their pilot scheme aims to enable business and education to work together to ensure young people have the right skills to survive and thrive in the new world of work. “Our priority is working out what are the 21st century skills that employers are looking for. “And how to assess whether young people have them in order to be able to support their development,” she says. They have been working with 4000 students in 12 schools, including Southern Cross Campus in South Auckland, St Mary’s College in Ponsonby, Hobsonville Point Secondary School and Takapuna Grammar.
JULIUS BLOEM, 25 years old General Manager, Possum Bourne Motorsport
The US-based testing and research organisation ACT’s 45-minute Tessera test is used to measure students’ social and emotional skills. She says these emotional and social skills – the “be skills” – are one of four essential parts of the skills set that the workforce of the future will need. Key categories are use, be, know, grow. yy Knowing the new basics in areas like digital and global working, design and entrepreneurship. yy An ability to use that knowledge to achieve results, through creative and critical thinking, working collaboratively to solve problems and communicate results. yy Being curious, tenacious, organised, emotionally resilient and a team player.
yy Having a growth mind-set that keeps you learning, unlearning and relearning. “New areas of knowledge include things like digital literacy which we hear a lot about but also things like global literacy, entrepreneurship and the ways of using knowledge, those important four Cs, creativity, collaborative problem solving, communication, critical thinking. “The ‘be’ skills are about how well you can work in a team, carry yourself and get things done. Those are skills like tenacity, emotional resilience, teamwork, leadership and curiosity. “And the ‘growth’ skills are also important. People need to take responsibility for renewing and updating their portfolio of skills.” Where 21C differs from New Zealand’s current education and careers planning systems - which the lab founders believe over-focuses on old knowledge and skills at the expense of new ones like digital and global literacy, design thinking and entrepreneurship – is that these skills are not specific technical competencies but generic skills that underpin many jobs. “Skills are what is portable and what we need to focus on. A young person needs to think about the skills clusters that they enjoy working in.”
21C Skills Lab co-founder and co-director Justine Munro
Thursday, 15 February 2018 | 14
EducationCentral.co.nz/FutureFocus
The degrees that count Today is both an exciting and threatening time to begin to study for a degree. By Lawrence Watt
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n the one hand there are many skills shortages in professional areas. On the other, technology is developing so fast that many jobs could soon be done by machines. How do you know that the degree you enrol in this year, will enable you to make money in three, 10 or 30 years? The following degrees give a graduate a good chance of getting a job, with reasonable money to be made over the longer term.
Bachelor of IT or Engineering Today’s world has recently entered a state of rapid change in automation – soon we will have fully autonomous cars, trucks and buses. This revolution is creating demand across both IT and electrical engineering. Salaries for automation engineers may already be higher than for civil engineers (which is where the money has traditionally been).
Cyber Security Cyber security has taken over from the gumshoe detectives of old. It’s just one of the roles in IT that is currently in high demand, and likely to continue as more business is done online, and the potential for online fraud increases.
Marketing Look at the wide choice of summer beers in a supermarket. With any product, it’s how they are packaged and promoted that drives their success, perhaps as much as the quality of the product itself. Good training in marketing is a long-term investment in your future.
Climate change will drive demand for graduates in planning and environmental planning. Pic Getty.
Building/Construction There’s a wide range of degrees for people who want to work in the building industry especially in Auckland – including civil engineers, architects, designers and town planners.
Planning and environmental planning Predator-free 2050 and climate change are two trends that will drive demand for graduates in planning and environmental planning.
Bachelor of Design
BSC or a BA in maths
Ever wondered who designed that smart-looking merino top or waterproof sandals you wish you could afford? Many are designed by graduates of industrial and product design. Money for industrial and product designers starts at around $41,000 and with a fair bit of experience, you could command more than $100,000.
New Zealand currently has a shortage of teachers and maths and science teachers are sought-after. And although the initial salary for a primary school teacher of around $54,000 may not sound high, the new Government has promised to look at this and other teaching roles.
“They taught us to say the words with our hands. Now we don’t need to speak another language to talk to each other.”
“At Invercargill Middle School, we improved literacy by inventing a visual language.”
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