Belfast Rugby and Christchurch’s Geocoat
13 minute readHow Belfast Rugby and Christchurch’s Geocoat Are Creating a New Playbook for Trades Pathways in Sport
In a country built on both hard mahi and grassroots sport, two Christchurch organisations are proving just how powerful the combination can be.
At the Belfast Rugby Club, a long-standing community hub in the city’s north, Club members Josefa Lilidamu and Faalele Iosua are doing far more than just playing rugby . Off the field, they’re building a future in the trades through apprenticeships with local plastering specialist Geocoat, supported by the structured training and assessment framework of BCITO.
This collaboration is now being held up as a model that both the construction industry and the sporting community are adopting nationwide, a people-centred pathway that develops workers, develops players, and strengthens clubs.
In construction circles, trades employers regularly talk about the shortage of young, motivated workers.
In rugby circles, coaches and clubs speak just as often about helping young players find direction away from the field.
The Geocoat–Belfast–BCITO partnership connects these two worlds in a uniquely practical way.
“We look for attitude, teamwork, and resilience,” says Geocoat owner Lewis Lester. “Rugby players bring all of that before they even walk on site.”
Lester says the traits athletes develop, punctuality, fitness, communication, coping under pressure, align naturally with the realities of exterior plastering, one of the most physically demanding trades in the industry. Geocoat have employed many lads that are involved sport of many levels and have quite a few more that are still involved in club sport that work for the company.
“These boys had never plastered before,” he says. “But they work hard, listen, and want to improve. They’re exactly who you want in a crew.”
In rugby environments, particularly at the community level, young players are already surrounded by structure: training schedules, season plans, leadership groups, injury management, and team standards.
What they often lack is a parallel structure that helps them navigate the world outside sport.
That’s where clubs can play a crucial role.
“When we moved up to Christchurch, Mbo from Belfast helped us settle in,” says fullback/first five Iosua. “He got us into the club and he got us into work too.”
For Kiwis, Pacific Islanders and European players alike, Belfast has created an environment that blends belonging with opportunity.
“Different cultures, same energy,” says wing/centre Josefa Lilidamu. “Everyone backs each other. The club feels like family.”
This culture, paired with access to real work pathways, is a powerful retention tool — something community clubs across New Zealand are constantly searching for.
Getting into plastering is no small step. The trade demands stamina, technical precision, and resilience, traits the players’ rugby backgrounds helped prepare them for.
A typical day in-season for Josefa involves:
- 7:30am start on site
- Carrying buckets, mixing compounds, finishing exterior surfaces
- 4:30pm finish
- Quick meal
- 6pm–8pm rugby training
- Recovery, dinner, rest
“It’s full on,” he says. “But rugby helps with the physical side, and plastering builds strength for rugby.”
Here’s where BCITO enters the picture.
Their training framework provides:
- A structured learning pathway
- On-site assessments
- Clear evidence requirements
- Goal-setting and progress tracking
- A dedicated Training Advisor
For Jos, this support is crucial.
“Jamie from BCITO really helps me on what I need to do, what to upload, what’s next. It makes it straightforward.”
For employers, BCITO removes uncertainty.
“You’re not just throwing them in the deep end,” says Lester. “BCITO guides the process. We provide the platform, they provide the pathway.”
That’s where this model comes to life.
For employers, it means bringing in apprentices who already understand what hard work feels like — young men and women who turn up early, take direction, and grind through tough days because rugby has taught them discipline, teamwork, and resilience. Businesses gain reliable workers, better retention, and the backing of BCITO to take the pressure off admin and paperwork. It strengthens their brand, but more importantly, it strengthens their connection to the community they build for.
For the players, it’s a pathway that removes the fear of “what next?” They gain stable, full-time work, the chance to earn while they learn, and a nationally recognised qualification that sets them up long after the final whistle. The physical nature of the job complements their training, and the support network — both on-site and at the club — helps them grow as athletes, workers, and people.
For the clubs, it creates a cycle of growth. Players with routine, work ethic, and life skills stay committed for longer. Local businesses become genuine partners. Welfare improves, retention improves, and a stronger club identity forms because the players aren’t just turning up to train — they’re building their future at the same time.
In the end, it’s more than a pathway.
It’s a community model where everyone wins — employers, players, and clubs — all moving forward together.
Both players already have clear visions for their future.
Josefa hopes to finish his plastering apprenticeship & get qualified
Jos wants to take it further.
“I want to run my own crew one day. Maybe my own business. That’s long term.”
On the rugby side, the ambitions are equally focused: push for a championship next season after falling short this year.
“Rugby is part of life,” Jos says. “Your trade is what stays with you.”
The Geocoat–Belfast–BCITO partnership didn’t come from a formal programme, a government initiative, or a polished strategic plan.
It came from three simple ingredients:
- A club that cares about its people
- A business willing to invest in young workers
- A training framework that makes qualification achievable
This is a model any club or employer in New Zealand could adopt — rugby, league, netball, basketball, doesn’t matter.
It’s simple, it’s sustainable, and it’s already delivering results.
“I’d encourage any employer to try it,” Lester says. “Athletes bring something special to a workplace. And if a club can help support that journey, everyone wins.”
With skilled tradespeople in high demand and sporting communities looking for stronger off-field pathways, this may be the roadmap New Zealand has been waiting for.
