BCITO launches Māori trades leadership campaign to address growing qualifications gap
The Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO) has launched a new campaign to highlight the achievements of Māori in the building and construction industry and the support available for apprentices in time for Matariki. The aim is to help with retention of first-year apprentices, boost aspirations to achieve qualifications, and strive for leadership roles.
“We’ve seen the percentage of Māori workers in building and construction grow from 12 per cent in 2018 to 17 per cent. However, we want to also see a corresponding rise in Māori students completing their apprenticeships and qualifications,” said BCITO Director, Greg Durkin.
“With industry, we’re supporting Māori tradies to grow their skills and success. It’s more than working in the trades, it’s getting qualified to take your career and the whole industry forward. This is vital so we can continue to have a strong and thriving workforce that can deliver New Zealand’s infrastructure needs now and in the future.”
Among the initiatives BCITO has launched are Kahukura, a pilot programme which will provide comprehensive mentoring and wrap-around support for first-year Māori apprentices studying through BCITO. Alongside this, scholarships for more advanced qualifications and a leadership development programme specifically for young Māori aim to encourage more to consider leadership roles and business ownership.
There will also be a stronger focus on relationships-based training methods that involve the wider whānau and iwi, with more face-to-face and marae-based learning and night classes for flexibility.
These principles are exemplified by award-winning Māori-led employer Stronghold Group, which currently employs 19 BCITO apprentices, providing them with outstanding pastoral care and social events for their whole whānau.
“You can’t separate the culture from the person, and we embrace the culture. For us, it’s amazing. We appreciate that, we appreciate you, we see you for who you are and where you’ve come from,”
said Karalee Tangiau (Ngāti Whātua ki Kaipara), Managing Director of Stronghold Group.
Isolation from support networks is one of the common issues identified for why many first-year Māori students drop out of their training. Te Hurinui Retimana (Ngāpuhi, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui) left his home in Northland at a young age to take up a carpentry apprenticeship in Auckland. This saw him separated from his whānau and the familiarity of being surrounded by other te reo speakers, having attended a Kura Kaupapa.
Fortunately, Te Hurinui was helped by a supportive employer, the strong belief his family had in him, and a dream to return one day to build homes for them on their whenua.
Fellow tradie Josh Davis (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa) recently qualified in painting and decorating after 10 years in the industry. He had suffered years of doubt around whether he could achieve a qualification as a Māori with a history of mental health issues and a tough background.
Speaking at his graduation, he said: “As a 39 year old male Māori, I want to tell you it’s not too late to start your apprenticeship and get qualified. It's not too late to create new opportunities and take control of your career path. It's not too late to start again or try something new. You are worthy. Your future is in your hands.”
