Business View Oceania | January 2020

15 16 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA JANUARY 2020 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA JANUARY 2020 NEW ZEALAND CERT I F I ED BUI LDERS (NZCB) environment which we’re doing more and more of, and through distribution of newsletters. It’s a multi-faceted approach. A signature event for us is our annual conference in June. Probably the largest building industry conference in the country, where we have more than 800 people attend.” BVO: What are the biggest challenges facing the building industry in New Zealand? Florence: “It’s interesting. In 2018, we were in Sydney talking with HIA (Housing Industry of Australia) and we both wrote on the board the five top challenges we faced and they were the same. Here and now there is a shortage of skilled trades people. That challenge has been in front of the industry for the last three years and that’s just come about by the boom/bust nature of the building industry in New Zealand. Builders don’t necessarily invest in apprenticeships in down times and so we lack the skill levels. Right now we’re totally in a boom economy. Our new housing starts are the second highest they’ve been on record. And that’s continued to grow over the last two to three years. “NZCB runs an apprenticeship program with 12 polytechnics across the country. It’s about supporting young men and ladies to get involved in the industry. Polytechnic schools provide the education and our association provides the opportunities and the employers and other elements to encourage people to join the building industry. The number of women in the trades in New Zealand has increased, still only around five percent, but that’s up from a year ago and it’s growing.” BVO: How has NZCB evolved beyond being simply member focused? Florence: “About 80 percent of our members are business companies operating primarily in the residential and light commercial sector, traditionally in the city market. And across the