ICE for Ōtaki A second ICE facility to help keep apprentices flowing into the industry

Kāpiti Mayor K Gurunathan marked the opening of the new ICE training school in Ōtaki by cutting a copper pipe instead of a red ribbon!

ICE FOR ŌTAKI

By offering training in plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying, Industry Connection for Excellence (ICE) is helping ensure enough apprentices flow into the industry—and this not-for-profit has now opened a second facility for the Wellington region.

Industry Connection for Excellence (ICE) started in East Tamaki, Auckland, in 2016 and has now expanded its operations to the lower North Island by opening a dedicated training facility in Ōtaki, north of Wellington.

ICE—a not-for-profit collaboration between industry stakeholders and Skills— was established by General Manager Garry McKenzie in response to predictions of a shortfall of tradespeople as a construction boom loomed for Auckland. It offers the Level 4 New Zealand Certificate in Plumbing, Gasfitting and Drainlaying, delivering modules that mix theory and practical learning.

Its East Tamaki site has five tutors and two administration staff and trains about 30% of plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying apprentices in the Auckland region. In 2019, it helped train 209 people and that figure

The Ōtaki facility features a workshop, pods for practical exercises, two classrooms and a resource library.

increased to 274 last year. The average age of its students is about 24 years old.

ICE is now helping those in other parts of the country having established the Ōtaki school, which can accommodate cohorts of up to 16 apprentices. The new facility aims to cater for people from Taranaki, Whanganui, Manawatu, Wairarapa, Kāpiti Coast and the Wellington region.

Dave Thomas, who has previously trained apprentices at Ara Institute of Canterbury, is manager and lead tutor at Ōtaki. He is joined by fellow tutor Peter Bartholomew, an experienced plumber who is embarking on a new career in training. The pair will be supported by the Auckland team with course material and delivery.

Garry Ivill, a director of ICE and Project Manager for the establishment of the new school, says that ICE aims to improve the amount of industry training on offer and that demand for courses has increased since the Covid-19 pandemic began.

“What we’re able to do is come in and operate in areas where demand is outstripping supply, which is the case in the lower North Island,” he explains.

“When things get to that point, it takes longer for students to be able to start their apprenticeships. It has been taking about six months from the time an apprentice gets signed on before they’re doing their first block course, whereas pre-Covid it was only about two months.

“Demand has grown with the government’s Apprenticeship Boost programme and employers taking on more apprentices, but that’s caused pressure in the polytechs. By setting up in the lower North Island, we’ve been able to help alleviate some of that pressure.”

The official opening of the Ōtaki school on 17 June was attended by more than 40 people, including Master Plumbers CEO Greg Wallace, Masterlink GM Steve Strawbridge,

The first challenge was to find a building to house the new ICE training school for the Wellington region.

Garry Ivill (left), a director of ICE and Project Manager for the establishment of the new Ōtaki school, at the launch event with Master Plumbers CEO Greg Wallace. Members of the Masterlink team with ICE General Manager Garry McKenzie (right) by a portable gas lab at the ICE training school in Auckland. The gas labs will be transported between the Auckland and Ōtaki sites, as needed.

Skills Consulting Group CE Garry Fissenden, Master Plumbers Hutt Valley/Wairarapa Secretary Colleen Upton, Master Plumbers Wellington President Dave Norriss and a number of plumbing business owners.

Each apprentice will attend ICE block courses three or four times a year for the five years of their apprenticeship. By year five, ICE Ōtaki expects to be running at least 60 block courses annually.

“We started with nothing but an idea,” says Ivill. “We had to find a building in the right location, then find the people and get them to set it all up, and to finally deliver the first block course in June was just fantastic.

“We were also thrilled that there was a female in that first cohort of 14. Our school in Auckland has been running for five years and has only had four females in all that time.”

The Ōtaki facility features a workshop, pods for practical exercises, two classrooms and a resource library. Outside there is room for ICE’s mobile gas training labs— two 20-foot containers that shuttle between its two schools as required.

“The gas labs are quite a big investment but at this point we think it’s an efficient use of resources because they’re not always being used by students,” notes Ivill. “We will be sending those to Ōtaki when required and when they’re not we’ll send them back to Auckland. One third of all block courses have some gas component and if we schedule smartly then we get the most out of using those labs.”

Ivill says once ICE Ōtaki has become established, the company will assess the viability of developing an integrated multitrades training facility in the area that may include other construction trades.

“I think demand will continue for some time and I think we’re going to be busy for a number of years,” he adds. “The biggest constraints are going to be tutors. The only way you can deal with growth is to have more tutors and we really need to think about how we sell the whole education aspect of plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying.

“As a tutor, you need patience and an ability to deal positively with all sorts of different people, but particularly young people. Not just any tradesperson can do it and it’s difficult to find the right people.

“It is a big responsibility to guide and assist apprentices through their career. It is our job to inspire them and make their time with us an enjoyable and memorable experience.”

Tools at the ready for the next block course apprentice cohort.

NZ