Director’s News December 2024
Greg Durkin, BCITO Director.
As I reflect on 2024, I am conscious of the change that many of our industries, employers and learners have faced this year. The sudden decrease in new building volume in 2023 and 2024 really took the wind out of the sails of many regions of the country. Added to this, government elections are often times of uncertainty as the sector tries to second guess the real impacts of policy change. Most of the employers and industry leaders I speak to are waiting for decisive action that will ensure New Zealand has the homes and commercial buildings that its population needs. That said, it was pleasing to see so many firms pivot quickly to other work streams. Feedback from employers confirmed the value of well-trained qualified staff to enable rapid shifts to take advantage of alternate income streams.
On behalf of the BCITO staff, I would like to thank all employers and learners who trained through our organisation in 2024. Commitment to ensuring your industry has well-trained people is an investment in your future and the long-term benefit of the industry. Also, my thanks to BCITO staff for their passion and commitment to construction industries during a year of change and uncertainty.
2025 fee increase
BCITO fees increase by four percent as of 1 January 2025. We make every effort to keep fees as low as we can, to ensure trades training is accessible to all New Zealanders. However, continued rising costs have made this unavoidable. The new fees will be for both new learners, and those continuing training in 2025. The increase applies to base-training fees and off-job training course fees (if applicable to your programme).
Fees paid to BCITO are used to support multiple activities on behalf of industry, for example:
- funding onsite apprentice visits, assessments, and training plans
- developing and maintaining national trade programmes and learning resources
- promoting construction careers to build the pipeline for the industry.
On behalf of the team at BCITO, we are proud to be working with employers who are passionate about passing on their skills to the next generation, and with learners who are the future leaders of New Zealand’s construction sector. We remain committed to achieving the best outcomes for you and the industry and look forward to continuing our relationship in 2025. Information about the new fees is available at the link below.
Remember, our current BCITO Fees Support scheme continues until the end of 2024. Under this scheme, the first year of training is free to new apprentices who enter a training agreement with us before 31 December 2024. This is a great chance for those considering a trades career to sign up and get their first year free. For more details click the link below.
Redesign of the vocational education and training system
I had hoped to have an update for you on the Government redesign of the tertiary system (including apprenticeships). However, we are still waiting for the Cabinet’s final decisions. While we know it’s important to have certainty of the future of vocational education, it’s also important for the Government to get this right to make sure the scope for future change is minimised. To reiterate, the message we heard during the consultation was industries want a training system that is industry owned and led. Plus, the system should be enduring and not continue to change with election cycles. We are advocating for future stability on your behalf.
I hope you have the opportunity to take some time off over the Christmas break. I wish you all a safe and enjoyable holiday season.
Best regards
Greg Durkin, Director BCITO.
