Important Covid-19 information
We want to help you learn and work as safely as possible so you can protect your whānau and community. As well as following public health guidelines, we have put in place a vaccination policy and process that allows us to protect everyone and meets the requirements of the Covid-19 Protection Framework (traffic light system).
This will mean different things for different people depending on the traffic light setting in your area. As the evolving situation changes, we'll update information here as necessary.
Our approach
We require all BCITO people and people who visit our offices to be fully vaccinated.
If requested, our people are happy to show you proof of their vaccination status when they visit your workplace.
Our people will follow your rules if they visit your site as well as following our internal approach.
Guidelines for businesses are available free from CHASNZ if you need help with COVID-19 protocols for your business.
View CHASNZ Covid-19 protocols
Red setting
- We will ask you if you are happy to have us on site.
- Vaccination certificates are required for all people involved in on-site meetings.
- We may record that you have provided proof of your vaccination status. We won't record any other details.
- If anyone feels unsafe, or no vaccination certificates are available we will be unable to conduct an on-site visit.
- If the vaccination status of anyone involved in an apprentice's training can't be verified, online delivery of our services will be available.
Orange setting
- We will consider each situation individually and assess risks before visiting you at your workplace.
- We may ask you if you are happy to have us on site.
- We may ask for proof of your vaccination status, and arrange for an alternative online meeting if this is not on hand.
- We will follow your site requirements and general public health measures.
Green setting
- We can visit you on site without sighting your vaccination certificate, but we may ask for it and choose not to conduct a physical visit if we feel anyone's health and safety is at risk.
- We will follow your site requirements and general public health measures.
- An online meeting can take place as an alternative if we can't meet with you in person.
Block course attendance
This applies at Red, Orange and Green settings.
If you are an apprentice attending a block course in any BCITO trade you may be required to show your My Vaccine Pass at the block course you are attending at any of our partner providers. While attending a block course you must wear a face covering and follow any other guidelines put in place by the provider as well as general public health measures.
BCITO block course providers
Allied Trades Institute - Flooring
ARA Christchurch - Painting & Decorating
BrickArt - Brick & Block Laying
GGINZ - Glass & Glazing
NKBA - Kitchen Design
NMIT - Joinery
SIT - Joinery
Ucol - Joinery
Unitec - Painting & Decorating
Weltec - Painting & Decorating
Wintec - Joinery
FAQs
Q. If I am an apprentice with a vaccine exemption, will BCITO visit me on site in Red or Orange settings?
A. Yes, if your exemption follows the criteria set by the Ministry of Health.
Q. Does this mean apprentices and employers are ‘required’ to be vaccinated?
A. While we don’t require apprentices and employers to be vaccinated to work with us, we won’t be visiting on site in Red without sighting your My Vaccination Pass and we may ask to sight these in Orange.
Q. Can an apprentice or employer show a negative test instead of providing a vaccine pass when meeting with BCITO people?
A. The primary restriction to visiting and interacting with employers and their staff will be during the RED traffic light setting when it is considered that transmission of the virus is a high risk in a particular region. Without proof of vaccination status, BCITO will interact with employers and apprentices through phone and digital mediums and using the mybcito portal during these high-risk periods. In Orange and Green settings, our people will make a 5x5 assessment of the site visit environment for hazards, including the risk of exposure to Covid, the employer’s adherence to protocols around controlling hazards and then either proceed with the visit or advise the employer if they feel unsafe to proceed due to particular risks, as we do now with other site hazards.
